Lost Chronicles I: Lilithmon's Epic
by LongLiveTheSovereign
Summary: The first in a series of many detailing the endless struggle between good and evil. The chaos that ensues will end the lives of any who dares to cross in the path of Lilithmon. But the real question is: Is Lilithmon really the one in charge, or is there somebody far more evil than she? Only time shall tell...
1. Prologue - A Prelude to Destiny

_Greetings, dear reader. I am the Digimon known as Wisemon, and I am honored that you chose this story among the many you must have seen before you. I am a seer, you see, or a mystic if you'd prefer; I can see and hear every thought or action of any that I choose. I can see into their hearts and their minds. I can see the past. I can see the future, even though it is constantly changing. I can see even the futures that could have been, and the pasts that never were. Well, that's enough about me. And now, onto the story._

_Also, you may notice I frequent the use of the words 'people' and 'person.' In this world, the terms are collective, referring to both Humans and Digimon._

_This story is a past that has, indeed, happened. It is a harrowing tale of the long battle between good and evil that took place over a wide span of years. The battle took place in a separate world than the one you may be familiar with. Allow me to explain briefly; I am aware of the presence of the many different worlds and dimensions out there, including the one you might be in right now, wherever it is that this book might have ended up. In this world, there is no Human World, and there is no Digital World. There is but one world, a utopia of sorts where Humans and Digimon coexist peacefully. This world, and indeed, the only continent where the events of this part of the story take place, was named after the kind and loving goddess who created life…This world is called Arcadia. Arcadia is a land blessed with peace and happiness, where Humans and Digimon live side by side, work together, eat together, and play together…At least…that is the story everyone enjoys hearing, and it is the version of the story that everyone wishes to be true…_

_Though I am loath to admit it, Arcadia is a world and continent fraught with chaos; a chaos that is feared, dreaded, and constantly growing. It — or rather, she — was a chaos that had existed for untold hundreds of years. Her very existence threatened the lives of many innocents and ended even more for nothing more than a paltry eternal life._

_Fret not, for all hope was not yet lost; there exists a mercenary guild that sought to protect the lives that remained in the wake of that chaos. Though originally formed to protect innocent lives from bandits, that guild, as fate would have it, found itself in the middle of the conflict._

_Arcadia itself lies amidst a vast ocean, and is divided up into four different provinces: the frigid Nymphaea Tundra to the north, the barren Cyprus Desert to the south, the dense Lotisea Forest to the west, and the urbanized Celosia Province — which itself is further divided into five territories — to the east. The bulk of the story occurs within the province of Celosia, in the territory known as Valencia, the easternmost province of Celosia, and the very closest to Lotisea._

_The events that take place throughout this story are not for the faint of heart. If you have the courage and power required to fight against the darkness, then by all means, delve deep into its core and continue onwards, and gain the wisdom offered in the dark secrets of this lore. If not, I strongly advise you close this book and walk away, and forget all about it for the remainder of your life. _

_I apologize, dear reader, for my digression. This story begins in the year 598, some 200 years prior to the bulk of the story, when the chaos is awakened and freed from the only place capable of imprisoning her darkness…Arcadia's hell. The Dark Area, where she rests, and dreams, of events gone by. _


	2. The Darkness Reborn

Mandala Island. A large, heavily populated island nearly half the size of the Arcadia continent, directly to the east of the continent. Right now, though, it was not quite so heavily populated — I, Lilithmon, in fact, seemed to be the only one left alive. I breathed in and sighed, and choked on the soot-filled air. Nearly every white marble structure and building as far as the eye could see had been engulfed in flames. I, of course, did not even need to look up to see this; it was all clearly reflected in the steadily rising waters of the ocean, at this point up to my ankles.

"It seems that this island really _will_ sink, after all," I said, lamenting upon the sad state of this island. It really _had_ been quite a beautiful city. _Although,_ I thought,_ perhaps it will be even more beautiful on the ocean floor? To see the sun shining down through the ocean's surface, bending and reflecting with the waves…_The thought sent a chill down my spine, and filled my heart with an almost joyous melancholy.

The island's plummet began during a climactic battle involving a dear friend of mine. I had not been there, so I did not yet know the details of the battle, but I was fairly sure that was the cause. _A huge clash between two enormous Digimon who were bigger than most buildings? What _else _could cause an entire island to collapse and sink? Certainly no_ Human_ could pull that off!_ I looked around once more, and wiped the smoke-induced tears from my eyes. _I wish I could find him; all of this fire is really pissing me off!_

As if on cue, the ground began to tremble with the heavy footsteps of a large Digimon. Ripples danced madly across the surface of the water, now halfway between my feet and my knees. The Digimon now stood before me, his body ravaged and bleeding. Recognizing me at once, he smiled. His eyes narrowed, and he lowered himself to the ground. Though, it was more like he fell — he was practically unconscious, and close to death.

"Lilithmon…Help…me…"

"…Belphemon…even _you_, of all Digimon, have been defeated by them," I said. I walked up to the Demon Lord, and began caressing his snout.

"…Please…help…"

"Belphemon…I'm sorry…I don't have any more…" In my mind, I berated myself for not thinking clearly. _Must be all the smoke in the air. If all I have to offer is the clothes off my back, then that's what I must do!_ Without hesitation, I tore off a small shred of my shirt sleeve, on the right side, and held it up to Belphemon. "Do not fear, sweet Belphemon. Though your body may disappear, though your very life may perish, and though you may be sent to the Dark Area, a portion of your soul shall remain in this small piece of silk for all eternity…until I choose for it to exit." A bright blue light emanated from both the silk and Belphemon, shrouding the entire area in light. With a final look at me, Belphemon closed his eyes, and when the light vanished, he was nowhere to be seen. "Fear not; the silk which keeps you partially bound to this world shall never be found by them. Should it ever be required of me, I will find your Horcrux, along with everyone else's." Without another word, I crouched down and placed the torn silk in a minuscule stream of water, watching it silently flow away in a current.

Another Digimon, covered in distinctive blue and silver armor, began to approach me, trudging through the water, which was knee-high for both of us. His presence, his very existence, irked me, and yet I smiled at him.

"LILITHMON!" his voice thundered throughout the entire city of Mandala, or what was left of it. "WHERE ARE THEY?!"

"Oh, Seraphimon, don't be like that," I said, my voice a mix of fake hurt and annoyance. "After all, it's been a hundred years since we've last seen each other!" I tugged down slightly on the low neckline of my shirt. "Shouldn't we make this reunion a bit more…_special_?" Seraphimon did not reply. His ten golden wings fluttered anxiously, a habit of his that he only did when severely agitated. "…I suppose we shouldn't. It would be inappropriate of us to do so, given our circumstances. Well, whatever can I do for you, my old friend?"

"You know what I'm here for," Seraphimon said. His voice was unusually stern, even for him. "Tell me where they are."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean," I said, attempting an innocent expression while batting my eyes.

"Don't play dumb, Lilithmon!" Seraphimon shouted angrily, catching me off guard. Not once have I heard him yell, least of all at me, even when we stopped being friends. "Tell me where you hid the Horcruxes!"

"Horcruxes? I'm afraid I don't see anything like that around here," I said, looking around. "Could you perhaps be a little more specific?"

"Hallowed Ascension!" Seraphimon pointed upwards as a bolt of lightning came from the sky and struck an already-crumbled marble column I was standing near, completely incinerating it and turning it into little more than dust. I caught myself gazing at my reflection in his armor, which was as highly polished as ever; a scared woman, one whose beautiful face was covered with soot from the surrounding flames, up to her knees in seawater. "Tell me where you hid the Horcruxes; next time, I won't miss." Quickly, I composed myself. I closed my eyes and smiled.

"You will never find them."

"Damn it, Lilithmon, if you don't tell me where they are, I'll—"

"I will _not_ let you have the satisfaction of killing me."

"What?! Lilithmon, don't be stupid; I would never—!" Before he could finish his rambling, I raised my right hand and shoved the piercing claws of the Nazar Nail deep into my stomach. It was over in an instant, and yet it seemed to drag on for a lifetime. I fell backwards into the clear water, which soon became stained with my blood. The pain I felt as my claw tore through the soft flesh of my belly and deep into my core was unbearable, and yet I laughed. I laughed and laughed at Seraphimon's reaction, at his worry and concern. By the Goddess, but I must've sounded like a madwoman, with my face contorted with pain and amusement.

"Lilithmon!" Seraphimon ran to my side as I fell, yelling my name repeatedly as he knelt down in the water beside me, gently placing his warm, comforting hands around my shoulders to raise me up. "I wasn't going to kill you! I would never kill you! I could never even attack you! I…I was bluffing…earlier…" Seraphimon began sobbing, attempting and failing to remove my blood-soaked arm from inside my belly. The Angel Digimon pulled me into a hug and began sobbing even harder, harder than I had ever seen him cry before. "I just…I just want things to go back to the way they used to be, for the three of us!"

"You're…one hundred years too late, Seraphimon. Literally." As I reached up with my left to stroke Seraphimon's helmeted face, my vision began to grow hazy, and as I spoke, blood welled from my mouth and ran down my chest in between my breasts. "Such a shame…isn't it? I'm much too…beautiful…to die…"

"Lilithmon! Don't…don't go…Don't leave me, damn it!"

"You'll never…find the Horcruxes. Once you realize that, it will be…too late…we'll all…be…free…" I closed my eyes one last time, and heard Seraphimon's screaming of my name grow fainter and fainter until all went dark around me. My body turned to small fragments of data, as all Digimon do when they die, with death's sweet embrace pulling me into the afterlife…

* * *

I awoke with a start, lying on my back in a puddle of my own cold sweat. _Just the same, recurring dream about the past again, Lilithmon, the same one you've been having since the day you died. There's nothing you can do about it; what's done is done. There is no need to get worked up over the past,_ I told myself, wiping the sweat off my forehead with my left arm. _Seriously, though, what the actual FUCK was I thinking back then, killing myself like that?! Sure, I made Horcruxes for all of _them_, but I didn't have enough time to make one for myself! Damn it, if only Seraphimon hadn't shown up just then, I could have made it! Now, how the hell am I going to get out of here and free everyone?!_

I stood up, surveying the same, boring terrain of the Dark Area; the same bizarre orange background, matching a sunset in color. I thought briefly of the same small amount of gravity, curiously observing the numerous flat-surfaced rocks floating throughout the place, including the one I now stood on. The cold, dry air made my cold sweat unbearable, and I shivered as another rock passed by me, casting a slight breeze in my direction. I brought up my left hand subconsciously and gently brushed my fingers against my right arm, expecting to feel the sleeve of my shirt, but instead felt the soft skin of my arm. The sleeve had been torn, as I remembered, when I needed an item for my final Horcrux. That had been long ago, however, and I sighed at the memory of the distant past. My fingers trembled slightly with sadness as I continued to feel the soft, silky skin that had once been the desire of most men and the envy of most women. I fell backward, landing softly on the rock beneath my feet, looking up at what would have been the sky were I still alive.

"Lilithmon!" My heart skipped a beat. The sudden exclamation of my name woefully reminded me of the dream I just had. I sat straight up as another rock passed by next to me, and with it, a familiar Digimon. Perhaps the most beautiful I had ever seen…other than myself, of course. The Digimon, a golden, wolf-like Digimon known as Lupinemon, leapt up and landed next to me. "You okay, Lily? I could hear you crying out in your sleep about half a mile away. Did you have a bad dream or something?" I smiled at her and shook my head, laying back down.

"No…Nothing to be concerned about, Lupinemon," I said as the Phantom Beast lay down next to me, gazing at me with concern and pity. I absentmindedly began scratching her behind the ears. Her large tail began to wag happily as I did. "It's only the same, recurring dream I've been having for the last century or so…nothing to be concerned about…"

"A nightmare that recurs for a hundred years sounds like something I should be concerned about," Lupinemon said.

"…I just don't want to talk about it. I'm sorry…"

"…Lilithmon, you once told us that you stored a portion of each of our souls into something you called a Horcrux…"

"Yes?...What of it?"

"Lilithmon…is it true, then, that we may one day return to Arcadia? Could we ever truly leave the Dark Area, and live once more?"

"…That…once…was true," I said. I spoke slowly, not wishing to accidentally reveal what truly happened on that day. "…I was hoping to use them to somehow free you and all of the others from the Dark Area, but…I was murdered by Seraphimon before I was able to make one for myself…And now, I am unable to return."

"That bastard; thought of everything, didn't he?!" Lupinemon growled viciously. I knew what I had told her was a lie; that Seraphimon had never killed me, and that he never had intended to, but if I had told Lupinemon and all my other friends the truth about my death, that I killed myself before I made a Horcrux for myself in an attempt to flee from Seraphimon, then I was certain they'd all try to murder me once again…Machinedramon in particular. "Damn it; how are we supposed to escape now?!" At this point, I ceased scratching my fellow Digimon behind the ears; Lupinemon was well known for her volatile temper, and I didn't wish for her to bite my hand off.

"That's where I come in, pretty ladies, soaring in to save the day," a cloaked Digimon carrying a scythe cackled, hovering above Lupinemon's lowered head. "Or rather, ruin it; verily am I a villain, after all! Nya ha ha!"

"What do you want, DeathPhantomon?!" Lupinemon growled.

"Tsk tsk…surely, thou art aware by now?" DeathPhantomon asked. "Verily is it my goal in life to help out all manner of beautiful woman…though, mostly I simply…help…myself…to…them…" I could hear DeathPhantomon's breathing grow faster and heavier as his only visible, glowing red eye stared at my chest, rising and falling with each soft breath I took. "In particular…the well-endowed…curvaceous…ssssoft…and…voluptuously…plump…ones…"

"DeathPhantomon!" Lupinemon repeated, growling the horny Digimon's name much louder. "What. Do. You. WANT?!"

"Oh, Lilithmon…thine breasts are as enticing as ever…" DeathPhantomon said, his single eye narrowing with delight.

"_DEATHPHANTOMON!_"

"Huh? Oh, yes, yes, of course." The floating Digimon raised the scythe in a clammy, blue grey-skinned arm. The scythe was roughly twice the length of DeathPhantomon's five-foot body and was adorned with a skull at its top. The blade — while dangerously sharp and capable of drawing blood from the slightest touch — I was certain was used more for DeathPhantomon's own pleasure than it was for battle. "Milady, it would do for you to rise to thine feet at this time." I cast a nervous glance at Lupinemon, who made no movement. Sighing, I did as I was told. "Yes, rise…Bring thine cleavage closer to my face!"

"…Freaking pervert," Lupinemon muttered. Rolling my eyes, I sat back down next to the Phantom Beast.

"No, no, don't sit down! 'Twas only a jest, Milady! Thine breasts be not the only reasons you are required to stand! Verily, it maketh the process easier on the both of us."

"The process? What process? What are you doing?!"

"As thou art aware, Milady, my attack turns whomever I desire into spirit form," DeathPhantomon replied.

"A spirit…a being without physical form," Lupinemon mused, a smile forming on her snout as it seemed she realized what DeathPhantomon was planning.

"Wait, hold on—"

"Spirit Influx!" The eyes on the skull of DeathPhantomon's scythe beginning to glow a blinding, eerie shade of red, the same shade as his own eye. The light had me completely enveloped, but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared. I looked down at my body and saw that nothing had changed.

"…What happened? What did you do to me?" I asked.

"That attack changes whomever DeathPhantomon wants into a spirit, from what I remember," Lupinemon explained. "A spirit can only be seen by those that have been long accustomed to darkness. That is, only the eleven of us, twelve if you include yourself, should be able to see you."

"I'm a…spirit? You mean…I can leave the Dark Area?"

"Spirits are capable of crossing over to the other side; the side where Humans and Digimon live together," DeathPhantomon said, breathing heavily as he began inching closer and closer to the top of the rock Lupinemon and I stood on.

"DeathPhantomon, are you ok?" I asked.

"I shall be fine upon the morrow," DeathPhantomon said as he began hovering once more. "Well…more like a few hundred of them. So try not to get killed for a few hundred years; I'm not able to do this very often. Had I not prepared for this, verily would that have killed me, or whatever happens to those who die here…"

"Listen carefully, Lilithmon," Lupinemon said. "The only way for you to regain a physical form is for you to take over the body of any Human or Digimon you wish — engorge yourself with their life force, and do not stop feasting until naught remains of their life. Being a spirit, such a task should be of no difficulty, but beware; this process will kill whomever it is that you choose."

"To leave this miserable area…" DeathPhantomon said. "All one needs do is concentrate. Drown out all outside distractions…focus on where it is you wish to go, and go there thou shalt."

"I understand. Thank you for all your help, DeathPhantomon," I said, bowing slightly to the perverted phantom. "I promise; I will not let you or any of the others down." My eyes closed, and I could feel my body lifting off the rock and into the air.

"Remember, Lilithmon; do not allow anything to distract you from your task," Lupinemon said gravely.

"Oh, and do take good care of thy body, Lilithmon," DeathPhantomon called after me. "I'd hate for anything to skewer those beautiful curves before I get my scythe into thee, if thou knows what I mean…Ah…all in the right places…"

"DeathPhantomon, will you shut up?!" Lupinemon growled.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, I was no longer in the Dark Area; I was in a vast, empty grassland. The wind was blowing, forcefully making every tall blade of grass sway. I took a deep breath and sighed, happy to be free of that bone-dry pit. I looked up at the clear blue sky and saw, for the first time in three hundred years, the sun. It felt…so warm…and the air was so clean, and so much cooler than the dry, stagnant air of the Dark Area.

_So…this is what it means…to be alive…_ I looked around the grassland for a few more moments, and sighed. _Ok…so, now that I'm here…What next? They made it sound like there would be plenty of people around whose souls I could steal, but I see no one…_

"Pardon me, Madame, but it seems as though you are lost." Without my notice, a Human had managed to walk right up to me. His back was to the sun, to which my eyes were still unaccustomed, and I was unable to see the man's face — or if he was even a man at all. His raven hair was long, falling long past his shoulders, and flew about in the gentle breeze like the grass at our feet.

"You…can see me?" I asked, and though I could not see this man's face, I could see his head nod. "But…I'm only a spirit…"

"…You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you? Might there be anything I can do to assist you? I am a traveling acolyte seeking to aid those in need."

"A holy man, huh? I guess that might explain why you can see me…"

"You are Lilithmon, aren't you?" I stared blankly at his unseeable face. "Lilithmon, the so-called Goddess of Darkness who used to be a Celestial Digimon called Ophanimon, and was sent to the Dark Area two hundred years ago. Well? Am I not correct?"

"You…what's your name?" The man remained silent. "You said you were an acolyte…so why are you talking to me? You should be trying to throw a pail of holy water at me, or…whatever it is you priests do…" I heard the man laugh quietly.

"…My fair lady…have you ever heard of…quintessence?"

* * *

**A/N**: Okay, so my plan is to be able to write one chapter a week, therefore uploading on a weekly basis. The longer ones might take a bit longer, but if I've got a short chapter, I might be able to post two a week ^_^


	3. Fateful Encounter

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Arcadia: Year 798**

**Cyprus Desert**

Cyprus Desert…Nothing about this place ever changed; an unbearably warm, barren locale with enough sand to cover all the contents and fill the oceans. And yet, to my dismay, there was no other option; bandits were following us. _Angry_ bandits. Bandits whom we had attacked. Of course, if I had known better, and had the sense to look before attacking, I wouldn't need to be trying to hide. My target was one of several leaders of a large bandit group, and information I had received led me to a town bordering the huge desert and Celosia Province known as Paeonia. The leader, naturally, was nowhere to be seen, and information I had gotten from the bandits who I _didn't_ kill told me he was in a desert village called Linnea.

Of course, knowing that wasn't as helpful as it should have been. At the heart of the desert, where I was, there were no landmarks, no buildings, not even any Digimon, in sight, to help us find our way. Just sand. And the desert. The winds seemed to be constantly blowing and there was always sand in the air. How other Humans like me managed to live here was beyond me. Digimon, I could understand, but Humans? No clue. The wind hurled an unnecessarily large clump of sand into my face. No clue at all. Wiping the sand from my eyes and glasses, which sadly did nothing to help, I looked down at my traveling companion.

"Statuedramon… you've gotten us lost again, haven't you?" I asked. The Digimon, short and covered in bronze armor, glared up at me. His body was covered in scars big and small from the countless battles he had been in, and his face was no exception. His right eye was completely obscured by a thin and rather long scar that ran from his forehead to the middle of his cheek. This only served to further increase his look of intimidation, a fact that filled him with pride.

"No, Thomas, I have NOT gotten us lost again!" My Digimon friend spoke to me in an irritated voice as he used his shield to protect his face and eyes from the sand. "I mean — I didn't get us lost all those other times!"

"_Riiiiight_…you mean like the time we were lost in the forest, and we had to ask that Mojyamon for directions?" I looked down and grinned at the annoyed Rookie level Digimon. "And we all know how bad THEY are with directions…You know, the funny thing is that Mojyamon was able to get us out of the forest without any problem at all in just a matter of minutes…"

"Ok, ok, _maybe_ we should have taken a left turn at the tree covered in poison ivy…that I accidentally walked into…"

"Which one? You walked into a total of thirteen trees covered in poison ivy."

"_The_ _third_ _one_! But, anyway, I wasn't as smart back then as I am now; it was a long time ago—"

"It's been ten days, Statch," I interrupted.

"A LONG TIME AGO, and now I know what I'm doing!" Statuedramon said indignantly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Trust me; in no time at all, we'll be in Caladium Village."

"Statuedramon, I'm impressed; you actually know where you're going for once," I said after we had just passed a sign half-buried in the sand. "Though, I would be more impressed if you hadn't just read that sign saying we were five minutes away from Caladium, or if the village wasn't in plain sight."

"Oh, shut up!"

"Anyway, that's beside the point; we're supposed to be going to Linnea Village to the west of where we are, not Caladium to the south. We don't have time to stop here, nor can we allow the people here to be endangered by our presence. Have you completely forgotten we're being followed? We can't just endanger innocent lives simply because we need to rest!"

"But Thomas, I'm _hungry_!" Statuedramon whined.

"You're always hungry."

"We Digimon can't fight as well when we're hungry!"

"Then it's a wonder that _you_ can fight at _all_." That remark seemed to shut him up for a few moments, until he tugged on the sleeve of my coat.

"Thomas…that village is clearly in sight, correct?"

"…What's your point?"

"_They_ are following us, and they aren't too far behind, from what I can smell," Statuedramon said. Over the years, I had learned to trust the Ancient Dragon's senses of hearing and smell as much as I learned to _dis_trust his sense of direction. "_That_ village is as clear as day." I stopped walking, and Statuedramon bumped into me. "…You know what would happen, right? They'd ignore us completely, and head straight for Caladium. And I _know_ you know what would happen from _there_." I sighed, and looked down at him again. He gave me a fangy grin. I shook my head, and returned the grin.

_I don't know how he does it,_ I thought. I was constantly reminding myself not to underestimate the Digimon's intelligence, in spite of his clumsiness, gluttony, and forgetfulness, because every time I did, he always managed to prove me extremely wrong. And yet, he never once rubbed my face in the fact…

"So, what say we go over to that village and take a little break?" he asked. "And when they _do_ show up…_we'll_ be there to stop 'em!" I grabbed his small wrist and began sprinting toward the village, practically dragging the short Rookie behind me in the sand.

* * *

**Caladium Village**

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," I said. Yes, we were finally out of the sand; yes, we were taking a rest in the cool shade, saving our strength for when our pursuers found us, and yes; we were finally out of the horrible sunlight. But did Statuedramon act like he was concerned for the well-being of the villagers? Nope. Instead, he sat on his ass, eating plate after plate of food — I don't even know what _kind_ of food, though, by the looks of it and the green mold covering it, I could tell it was quite old —at the bar of an outdoor food stand. The passing-by Humans and Digimon didn't seem to be paying us outsiders any notice. The Digimon were typical desert dwellers; Reptile and Insect Digimon like Guilmon and SandYanmamon. The Humans seem to have adapted fairly well; their clothing was thin, revealing, and light, and many stayed in the shade as often as possible. Caladium itself was nothing special. It was no different from any other desert settlement; buildings made of stone, with cloth awnings offering cooling shade everywhere I looked. Though sand covered nearly everything, nothing looked particularly old. "You could at least _act_ like you're concerned about the people here, you know!"

"But I was hungry!" Statuedramon whined, shoving yet another plate of indistinguishable food — including the plate — into his mouth. "And you know I can't fight alongside you if I'm hungry! In a place like this, you need all the help you can get if you get into a fight!" I grimaced, and Statuedramon went back to eating.

…_Why did I even take this job in the first place? I should've known I wouldn't be able to handle the heat of this damn desert…But I didn't think I would have to go all the way into the desert; just a border town…_

"Well, Thomas?"

"Huh?"

"I thought of your well-being before mine while I was hungry. Wasn't that nice of me? How are you going to thank me?"

"…I'll just accept that as the best gesture of kindness you can manage, Statch."

"Well, same to you, jackass!" Statuedramon laughed. "'ey, waiter, bring over some more of that mystery meat!"

"Of course, sir!" The waiter, a Digitamamon, happily gave Statuedramon more plates covered in food, all of which also looked spoiled.

"…Statuedramon, the only mystery about _that_ meat is why you're still eating it!"

"Nu-uh! There are _two_ mysteries!" Statch protested. "What kind of meat is this, ya' wiseass?!"

"Can't you tell from the scent? It's Ikkakumon. Now, can we leave soon? They might get here at any time now."

"No way! We were damned lucky to find this outdoor restaurant, and I'm not leaving until I stop feeling hungry!"

_This could take a few years…_

"It's my pleasure to be of service," Digitamamon said happily. "From what I understand, operating restaurants is somewhat of a family tradition, so I'll make sure to have all my sons and daughters, and each and every one of my descendants working in restaurants like this one!"

"That seems rather…forceful," I noted.

"Yes, apparently, that's also a family tradition," Digitamamon admitted. "That too will be passed down to my descendants!"

"More food, please!" Statuedramon demanded.

"…You two are able to pay for all this food, aren't you?" Digitamamon asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked at all the food Statch had eaten.

"O—oh, yes…yes, of course!" Statuedramon said nervously. "What, you think we'd leave without paying or something?" Digitamamon continued to glare at Statuedramon, but he finally turned away to look for more food as Statch asked, and when his back was to us, Statch leaned over and whispered in my ear, "You have some Florin, right?"

"Statch, _you_ are in charge of the money, remember?" I asked stiffly.

"What?! Who's the idiot that decided _that_?!" Statuedramon asked loudly, attracting Digitamamon's attention.

"It was _your_ decision."

"Oh…so it was…"

"You two don't have any money, do you?!" Digitamamon shouted at Statch, jumping up onto the counter. "How do you expect me to replace all that food you ate?! I'll have you two working here for me until you've repaid me for all that you've eaten! I'll have you scrubbing floors for a thousand—" As Digitamamon continued to shout at the cowering Rookie, a small Digimon spun and crashed into Digitamamon, knocking him off the counter. The Digimon uncurled itself and turned around to look at me and Statch.

"Gizamon!" Statuedramon gasped.

"Damn it, they've found us!" I reached down and removed my sword from its scabbard.

"Thomas, Sealsdramon at 6 o'clock!" Statuedramon shouted, pointing behind me.

"Death Behind!" As I turned to face the Sealsdramon behind me, the Digimon pulled out a knife and stabbed me in the back, near my right shoulder blade. The pain was intense, and I nearly dropped my sword, but I gripped its hilt tighter as I turned around and struck the Sealsdramon, splitting it right down the middle and instantly killing it. The Gizamon prepared to attack again, but Statuedramon pulled the knife out of my back and hurled it at the smaller Rookie, killing it.

"What the hell is going on?!" Digitamamon asked.

"Bandits, sir; you should go hide!" Statch exclaimed, and then turned to me as Digitamamon ran off. "You ok, buddy?"

"Yeah…let's just make this quick." I raised my sword up, pointing it at two approaching Human men, both of whom were carrying large axes. The two were incredibly muscular, and they had a savage look in their eyes. The one on my left was bald and, though muscular, was incredibly fat, while the one on my right had combed-back dark hair and wore dark shades, and was much smaller than the other. The one with hair smirked and snapped his fingers, and instantly, an enormous Digimon walked up behind the two of us.

"Minotarumon, smash 'em to bits," the man on my right said.

"Minotarumon smash!" The colossal Animal Digimon swung the weapon on his left hand, just barely missing the top of my head as I leaped out of the way. "Earthquake Drill!" The speed at which Minotarumon moved had taken me by surprise, and I had become quite unsteady from the blood I had lost when Sealsdramon stabbed me. My vision grew hazy, and I found myself unable to stand any longer. I fell to the ground, which was when Minotarumon slammed the weapon on his left arm against the back of my head.

"Thomas!" Statuedramon ran to my side as I collapsed to the ground; the sound of his voice was the last thing I heard before everything went dark around me.

* * *

**Statuedramon**

"Thomas! Thomas, wake up, damn it!" I vigorously shook the unconscious body of my best friend. The two men controlling the savage Minotarumon exchanged amused glances. Behind them, I could see countless other bandits ravaging the village and murdering its inhabitants.

"Face it, buddy, your friend's down for the count," the smaller of the two men said. Behind him, a group of axe-wielding bandits and Gazimon surrounded a lone man. Ignoring the two in front of me, I ran for the bandit, but was knocked to the ground by the fat man, who slugged me in the face with his big, stubby hand.

_Damn it; all of this is _my_ fault…If I didn't waste so much time eating…I'd have noticed them earlier…_

"There ain't no one around who can survive an attack like that," the fat man said. I glared at the two men, one eye squinted and probably black, and blood slowly pouring from my cut lip, which made the two men laugh even harder. "Minotarumon, go ahead an' smash 'dis puny little guy to bits!"

"Minotarumon smash!" Minotarumon joyfully began running towards me, and though I menacingly brandished my sword, this did not deter the beast. He raised his left arm, ready to strike me, and I, immobile with fear, dropped my blade and fell to the ground. I closed my eyes and prepared for the impact of the Ultimate Digimon's attack. When I did not feel his attack hit me, I opened my eyes, and standing before me was a beautiful, golden, foxlike Digimon holding back Minotarumon's arm with a single hand — or rather, paw.

"Are you unharmed?" the Digimon asked. She spoke in a gentle, serene, almost heavenly voice. She was so beautiful, and yet something about her made me feel uneasy.

"Are you…Renamon?" I asked. Something about her…was different. She almost seemed to be glowing with light.

"That is correct," the Digimon said. "My master believes you are having trouble, and wishes to assist you."

"Your master?"

"Renamon, please stop calling me that." A young woman looking to be the same age as Thomas knelt down beside me and gently placed her hand around my arm and helped me stand up. "I'm not your master, and you aren't a weapon, or a shield. We're friends, Renamon, and nothing will ever change that."

"As you desire, Milady," Renamon said.

"Minotarumon, what the hell is takin' so long?!" the fat man asked. "Smash 'em all to bits!"

"Earthquake Drill!"

"Power Paw!" Renamon's feet became engulfed in blue flames as she leapt up into the air, making Minotarumon's attack miss and strike the ground where she had been moments before. Renamon then forcefully kicked the huge Ultimate Digimon across the face. Minotarumon toppled over onto the ground, howling in pain as his right hand clutched the side of his face that Renamon kicked. The two men commanding Minotarumon looked shocked as their Digimon began crying from the pain. Her icy blue gaze brought a look of fear to their faces. Other, nearby bandits saw what had happened, and they looked on as Renamon gracefully landed on the ground in front of them.

"…How? How could anyone…defeat Minotarumon?!" the fat man asked. "Just who the hell are you?!"

"Damn it, we're going to have to retreat," the smaller man said. At first, his companion grimaced at the thought, though he eventually conceded, and the two men ran off, joined by any nearby bandits.

"We'll be back!" the fat man said as he and his companion vanished into the distance.

"Is your friend okay?" The young woman was kneeling beside Thomas. "This wound on his back looks terrible; what happened?!"

"He was stabbed earlier by a Sealsdramon," I said. I lifted his right arm, drenched in blood. "Yeah, I'm starting to think I _shouldn't_ have pulled out the knife…That was _probably_ dumb of me. My bad, buddy…"

"Can you help me carry him to my house? We need to stop the bleeding." I walked over to my best friend's side and helped the young woman pick him up.

"I shall remain out here," Renamon said. "I will let you know if those men return."

"Thank you, Renamon."

"…Who are you?" I asked the woman as we carried Thomas into a house not ten feet from Digitamamon's restaurant. The house was only a single story, so getting Thomas into the house's sole bedroom wasn't too difficult.

"You may call me Zelda," the woman replied. "Would you please help me with him? I know how to fix his wound, and I have everything I need to do it…but seeing all of this blood makes me…kind of nervous…" I blinked, and then smiled at her.

"No problem. I'll help you with anything you need."


	4. Respite in Battle

**Point of View: Thomas**

**6 Hours Elapsed**

I awoke slowly, noticing I lay in a soft, comfortable bed, and almost fell back into unconsciousness. My head was sore and throbbing, and I could hear my blood pulsing loudly in my ears. My right arm felt slightly stiff, and there was a stinging, shooting pain in my back, far worse than the pain in my head. I attempted to open my eyes, but there was a dampened washcloth covering my face, preventing me from doing so. With my uninjured left arm, I reached up to remove it, which was when I felt a hand, soft and delicate, gently close around mine.

"Are you awake?" a small voice asked.

_Not…Statuedramon…Who is…that? _Too exhausted to speak, I said nothing. The washcloth was carefully lifted from my face, and in a moment, I could hear footsteps on a wood plank floor. Slowly, I opened my eyes, and saw a young woman, small and petite, wringing the water from the cloth into a metal pail. With an effort, I forced myself to sit up, and though my vision was still a bit hazy, I looked around the room. There wasn't much room to see; to my left was a vacant wooden chair next to the bed, where I assumed the young woman had been sitting; the walls appeared to be made of stone or brick, and there was a small, square hole that served as a window to my right, and when I looked out, I could see that it had gotten quite late, with the sky being a deep shade of orange with a slight purple tinge to it, indicating the sun had nearly set; it was unbearably warm in the room in spite of the cool breeze that flowed from the window. Directly across from the bed I was in was a closed door. Lining the walls were a small number of bookcases with even fewer books. All of this I saw in the smallest fraction of a second. The bed creaked beneath me as I moved, catching the woman's attention. She instantly ran back to me from the bookshelf and stood before, leaving the moist cloth and pail behind on an otherwise vacant shelf.

"Are you alright? You aren't still hurt, are you?" she asked. Once more, I found myself unable to speak. Never in all my life had I seen a woman as beautiful as her; hair as golden as the sun falling to her slender waist, where a simple, undecorated satchel was fastened. One of her eyes was covered by a tuft of hair; the one that was visible was a deep ocean of purest sapphire. Her clothing was typical of Humans who live in the desert; light, and ever-so-slightly transparent. Her skirt was knee-length, and her shirt a blue crop top, loose-fitting, sleeveless, and flowy, that left her belly completely exposed. She was a small woman, slender but curvaceous, and well-endowed, and she looked abnormally skinny, almost as though she were malnourished and looking like the slightest breeze would've knocked her to the ground. Her beauty…it had an air of mysteriousness to it. It was otherworldly…almost not even Human. And her voice…it was small and gentle, and she spoke slowly with shyness. "Um…Thomas? Can you…hear me? You aren't hurt, are you?" I blinked. I had been gazing breathlessly at her for nearly a minute. "…Sir Thomas?" That comment brought me out of my trance. I could feel my blood begin to boil, and in an attempt to control myself, I clenched my fist, ignoring the shooting pain that ran up my right arm.

"…I'm fine," I said. "And you don't need to '_Sir_' me; I'm not a bloody knight."

"Ah! I—I'm sorry! I didn't mean…I—I just saw you had a sword, and I thought…I just thought…" She begun to slowly back away from me, and raised her arms to cover her face. "Please…please d—don't…hurt me…"

"…_Hurt_ you? Why the hell would I do _that_?" I asked. "You saved my life, so now, I owe it to you." She lowered her arms slightly and cast me a mildly scared glance. _Hmm…seems like she's been through quite a lot in her life for her to react like _that_ to what I said…_

"I—I'm terribly sorry; I…I didn't mean to imply…I…"

"I apologize for snapping at you like that; it was not my intention to frighten you, and I am not mad at you in any way," I said calmly. "I just…do not like knights." The woman had slowly inched her way back to the bedside. I smiled at her as she did, not wanting to scare her again. _Something must've happened to her…What should I do? The Boss wouldn't like it if I left someone all alone without helping them, but I have that job in Linnea…_

"I'm sorry…usually, I don't scare quite _that_ easily…usually…Um…I'm…Zelda…"

"I'm Thomas; but, I guess you already knew that, huh?" Zelda nodded.

"Yes, Statuedramon told me a little bit about you; Thomas Kasuto, age nineteen, and a professional swordsman," Zelda said. "Oh, and he told me that he never lost a fight against you, even though he was always holding back."

"…He told you that? And...where…exactly…is he at this moment?"

"Was he…incorrect about what he told me?"

"It's the other way around, Milady." The door across from me opened without warning, and Statuedramon walked into the room, shoving the latter half of a sandwich into his big mouth.

"Hey, I'm back! How's he—"

"Statuedramon, why did you tell this young lady I haven't once defeated you?" I asked.

"…Aaaaand I'm gone again…"

"_Statuedramon_!"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry…" He muttered something else under his breath, and while I missed most of it, I heard something that sounded like 'cute girl.'

"Whatever. It doesn't matter. Are you ready to go?"

"…So soon? You haven't fully recovered," Zelda said.

"We need to leave this village," I said, looking directly into Statuedramon's eyes. The Rookie Digimon sighed.

"Look…I know what you're going to say, Thomas," Statuedramon said. "You want to leave so you don't put this young lady — not to mention the rest of the people living in this village — in danger because of the men following us and the men we're going after. Sound about right?"

"Yeah, something like that," I said. Subconsciously, I brought my hand to my right shoulder, which had been throbbing with pain. The pain in my head was agonizing, and I wanted nothing more than to lie back down; resisting temptation, I began to climb out of bed.

"Thomas. I understand; truly, I do." Statuedramon placed a sharp-clawed hand over my chest, stopping me from leaving. "It'll be okay; nothing bad is going to happen if we stay here for just a little while longer than we intended."

"Nothing bad?! What if those men come back?!"

"It'll be okay; nobody in this village is going to get hurt while _I'm_ still around!" Statuedramon placed his hands around my arms and helped me lay down once more. "In any case, we're not leaving until you're better!"

"I feel fine!" I lied. In truth, I didn't really feel quite so bad, but the pain was still noticeable.

"Oh, really? Glad to hear it!" Statch playfully clasped his hands around the top of my shoulders. I winced as the pain surged throughout my right arm. "…We're staying," he said after a moment. "At least until _this_," the Rookie patted my shoulders once again, "doesn't hurt anymore."

"…Fine…" Somehow, unless it was over something frivolous, it was always impossible for me to win an argument with that Digimon.

"Um…Excuse me…" Zelda spoke up, her voice docile and small, and glanced nervously back and forth between the two of us. "Is it…alright… if I ask who's following you?"

"They're bandits."

"…Bandits?"

"Oh, they're not a big deal; at least, not for me and Tom. Just a bunch of cutthroats—part of an organization called the Thanatos Bandits," Statuedramon said.

"Thanatos…I've…heard of them…They've been…killing innocent Humans and Digimon all over Arcadia, destroying towns and cities…" Zelda said. "But…why would they be following you two?"

"We've been ordered to assassinate one of their leaders," I said. "A few rumors brought us to the border town of Paeonia. We found one of their hideouts there and, thinking that their leader was among them, we forced our way in and attacked them. As it turns out, he wasn't actually there, but we forced his location out of one of the cutthroat maggots there."

"Needless to say, those bandits didn't exactly take kindly to us barging into one of their hideouts and kicking their asses quite thoroughly, so after we left Paeonia, they began following us with the hopes of killing us," Statuedramon said. "It wasn't very polite of them, I must say…"

"That's why the two of us need to leave as soon as possible," I said. "If we stay too long, and those bandits keep coming and coming, more innocent people are going to get hurt." I looked over at Zelda, who had been watching me intently as I spoke. "You know…you don't have to keep us here if you don't want to. Keeping us here will only put you in danger, and I wouldn't want you to get—"

"No!" Zelda interrupted. It was the loudest I had heard her speak. "You don't need to worry about that. I would never turn my back on someone who needed help…And I'm not going to kick you out of this house just because you being here might put me in danger."

"I appreciate that, but…"

"There's also the matter of us needing to leave to do our job," Statuedramon continued.

"Your job?"

"Yeah, remember what we said? Tom and I were given orders to eliminate a bandit leader. Our boss doesn't like for any of us to take too long to complete a mission like this one."

"Are all of your jobs this…_dangerous_?"

"All of them are, but this is our first time trying something like this," I said. "We usually stick to fighting regular, nameless goons, but never before one of their leaders."

"Where did they say their leader was?" Zelda asked.

"We were told the leader has taken refuge in the neighboring village of Linnea," Statch said. "Though, to be fair, it _was_ a bandit who gave us this information, so he could be anywhere in Arcadia."

"He's in Linnea," I insisted. "I've been around long enough to know when someone's lying."

"Yeah, I guess we _both_ have…Hey, Zelda, when do you think that stab wound of his will heal?" The shy young woman looked at me as I forced myself to sit up; my teeth were clenched tightly together to help me endure the pain.

"Does it…still hurt?"

"No."

"You _lie_!" Statuedramon exclaimed.

_Damn it…_

"And after we both just said we can tell when someone's lying, too…"

"Sorry, I thought you'd fall for it! You usually do."

"_Hey_!" As Statuedramon glared at me, I heard Zelda laugh a little, though she immediately tried to cover it up.

"…So you _can_ smile," I said. "Good. I was getting worried."

"…I'm sorry…"

_Maybe I _should_ ask; I know the Boss would want me to, and I do owe her a lot._ "Zelda," I began, trying to speak as gently and nonthreateningly as I knew how, "I've been meaning to ask—"

I was cut off by a rather mystical voice that spoke the words none of us wanted to hear: "They're back." The three of us turned our heads to the room's only window, where a tall Digimon sat staring at us with icy blue eyes.

"Renamon…what do you mean? Who's back?" Statch asked.

"The bandits. They've returned," Renamon said.

I sighed, closing my eyes and shaking my head. I was honestly surprised it took them as long as it had to come back. _If only they could have waited a bit longer…Or, at least until I can use my arm again!_ I began slowly inching my way out of bed, not wanting to worsen the pain or attract Statuedramon's attention.

"Milady? What will you have me do?"

"What…are they doing? Are they just…waiting for Thomas and Statuedramon to show up…or are they—"

"No, they're killing everyone in sight. Just the usual banditry," Renamon said in a remarkably calm voice. "A few homes have been set ablaze, and many Humans and Digimon have been ruthlessly murdered in the streets. Also, the Minotarumon I knocked out has regained consciousness, and is also killing people. What will you have me do?"

"Damn it, we've got to stop them!" Statuedramon said.

"Renamon…we can't allow any more innocent people to die," Zelda said. "Please, wait for me outside; we'll join you shortly."

"As you wish." Without another word, the foxlike Digimon leapt out through the window. Statch and Zelda hurried to the bedroom door to leave, and as I finally climbed out of bed, my Digimon turned to face me.

"Thomas, you wait here!" Statuedramon ordered.

"Forget it, Statuedramon," I said. "I'm not the kind of guy who makes his Digimon fight without fighting alongside him." Next to the bed, I found and picked up my sword. Statuedramon let out a weary and irritated sigh.

"All right, _fine_, you can come with me!" Statuedramon said. "Just stay close so I can keep an eye on you, understand?!"

"Yeah, I got it," I replied. I followed Statch out the door and into the dark of night.


	5. Blood Runs Red

**A/N: **Sorry that took so long; I've been visiting with family in another state, so I haven't had as much time to work. Anyways, enjoy this next chapter!

* * *

**Zelda**

**Caladium Village**

Fire. There was nothing around me but fire when I stepped outside. It consumed everything around it like a sponge, leaving behind nothing but death and ruin in its wake. A thick, black smoke filled the air. It was accompanied by the cacophonous roar of the fire, though this was diminished by the helpless wailing and dreadful cries of the defenseless villagers, in addition to the maniacal laughter of the bandits as they slayed Human and Digimon alike without hesitation. I stood frozen, paralyzed momentarily by the fear that ate at my heart. Tears blurred my vision as it did, but whether the tears were from the smoke or from my own sense of helplessness and despair was a mystery to me.

"Shit, these guys really did a number on this place," Statuedramon said, joining me on the front steps of my house, one of the few left untouched by the raging inferno. Limping up behind him was Thomas, who didn't seem disoriented in the slightest, in spite of the practically suffocating amount of toxic smoke in the air. Statch looked at him and said, "You're walkin' funny…"

"No I'm not. You're…delirious from hunger," Thomas said.

"Well, yeah, I am, but you're still limping," Statch said. "…It's that old wound again, isn't it." Thomas looked down and away from the short Digimon.

"…It's not going to hinder me like it's done in the past," he said. "The pain…I'm getting used to it. It is not nearly as bad as when I got it nine years ago."

"…I'm going to trust you when you say that," Statuedramon said gravely. "That means I'm _not_ going to watch your back while we're out there; this is too big for us to stay together in one group, so we'll need to split up."

"Making sure that no more villagers get hurt should be our number one priority," Thomas said. "We can fight the bandits after that."

_This fire…it's a little strange…It almost seems like the way it's moving around the different buildings is…almost like it's a living being…_

"My lady? Your orders?" Renamon's question interrupted my thoughts.

"Oh…yes…We cannot allow a single bandit to roam freely in this village," I said in a shaky voice, knowing what would come from all of this. Blood. Violence. Suffering. It always seemed to follow me. "Renamon…do whatever…do whatever you must to stop them."

"I understand," Renamon said in a calm voice. "Those who choose to defy the sacred principles of life…they shall pay with blood." Renamon clenched her paw, and her entire arm became enveloped in misty blue flames. As an Ogremon ran past her, she reached out and grabbed him by the neck, her sharp claws penetrating the skin of his neck. The Digimon howled in pain, both from Renamon's flames and her claws, and the tall Rookie lifted him up and hurled him into a blazing house. This put an end to his screaming when it collapsed on top of him before he was able to get out. "I shall do everything in my power to ensure the remainders of these vile criminals suffer the same fate." Renamon stormed off, looking as calm and composed as ever, and was followed reluctantly by Statuedramon.

I prepared to follow after them as well when a dreadful sight caught my eye; the lifeless body of a small child, covered in blood, his head turned at an unnatural angle. I looked around, and saw many more corpses lining the street, both bandits and villagers. In all my life, I've not once seen anything as terrible as this, and yet…the very sight of it reminded me of my home town…Adonis…the first of a nearly endless line of settlements to cast me away for something about myself I am unable to change.

"Are you ok?" Thomas suddenly asked. Without noticing, I had slumped to the ground next to the lifeless child. I reached up and felt my face; it was wet with tears. "You…may blame me if you'd like," Thomas said. "If Statuedramon and I hadn't come here…none of this would have happened…"

"None of this was your fault, Thomas, and I never had any intention of blaming you." I picked myself up off the paved street of the village and brushed the dust off my skirt, which was stained with the still-warm blood of the child. Thomas still looked concerned, so I gave him what I hoped was a reassuring smile.

"But…if Statuedramon and I had never come here…" Thomas looked around the village, at all the burning houses and buildings of the village.

"Anyone can get blamed for anything; people can be — and often are — made to feel especially responsible for those events which they have no control over, even when they know they aren't at fault for what happened, and when that happens, they may even begin to blame themselves…I…know all too well the anguish of being blamed for something I had no control over…and I don't want you to feel that pain, nor would I wish it on anyone else…" I glanced over at him once again, and saw that he looked somewhat surprised by what I had said. "Well, enough about me; how are you feeling? Your arm doesn't hurt, does it? And your leg; is it feeling better?"

"…No. I am fine," Thomas said. "Stay close. You saved my life, so now I will protect yours."

"…Thank you." I attempted to smile at him, but he had turned away before I could muster up the courage to do so which, for some reason, left me feeling slightly disappointment. I began following after him, my thoughts drowning out the savage roar of the surrounding flames. Ever since he had first woken up, and started talking to me — very shortly after I had accidentally addressed him as a knight — I'd had this…unfamiliar feeling in my chest. He had spoken very kindly to me…which was something that I was not used to. We hadn't spoken for very long, but I could already feel like this was someone I could trust. This thought brought a wave of emotions into my heart. Not wishing to bother Thomas with my foolishness, I kept them all to myself, as I always did. Then came the previous, unfamiliar one…the one that left me feeling flustered. He came to a stop, and turned to face me. I could feel the blood rush to my face, and my heart began to race. His eyes were dark and piercing, and I found myself lost in their deep, chocolaty gaze. _Mmm…Chocolate…_

"Zelda." The sound of his voice brought me back to my senses. I had been grinning ever since my thoughts turned to chocolate, and I was looking him dead in the eye as I was.

_Oh, no; I've just been standing here, standing and smiling at him this entire time?! He probably thinks I'm the weirdest person in all of Arcadia! Oh, stupid, stupid, stupid Zelda! Why do I always have to—?_

"We aren't alone." Thomas drew his blade from its scabbard and began staring intently at the roaring flames of surrounding buildings.

"…Huh?"

"Get down!" Thomas pushed me out of the way of a stream of flames that came bursting from a burning house. The attack hit another house, and the sound of a malicious laugh filled the air. "Are you okay?"

"Y—Yes…" The two of us had landed on the ground, At first glance, Thomas looked quite slender and small, and his arms were no bigger around than my own, but as he shielded me with his body from the attack, they felt very strong, and his body felt very warm…I did my best to avoid looking him directly in the eyes, though I don't think it would have mattered, for as soon as the attack ended, he quickly got back up. _At least he didn't notice me blushing when we fell…I think. Oh, god, I hope…_

"The enemy…it's hiding in the fire," Thomas said. The same laughter from before filled the air once again, and it sounded as if it came from every direction.

"Very impressive! _Not!_ Well, whatever. How were you able to find me?" An unknown voice asked. The form of a lizard-like Digimon stepped out of the flames, wearing an amused smirk on his fiery face.

"You can thank my master for that," Thomas said. "She trained me to attune my senses to the world around me. Sound, hearing, even pure instinct…I've even got a nose that would put a Garurumon to shame. And I could hear…without any problem…your very quiet breathing, even through the thick roar of the flames you made."

"Thomas…who is that Digimon?" I asked.

"Flarerizamon," Thomas said. "A Digimon made almost entirely of flames, he has the ability to expand and spread out his flame body over a wide area and engulf nearly anything in it."

"Well, aren't you a smart one?" Flarerizamon asked. "I guess that's why we've been ordered to take _you_ down specifically. We didn't even get any info on the midget Digimon or the cute girl!"

"…And you were the one behind setting every house in this village on fire," Thomas said.

"Well, _duh_; only someone as powerful as _me_ could produce all of these flames!" Flarerizamon said.

"And all of those flames are still a part of your main body," Thomas said. "Meaning, once I defeat you, these flames will disappear."

Both Flarerizamon and I stared at him in shock. _No way; he was able to figure that out just by _looking_ at the fire?!_

"But…that's only _if_ you defeat me!" Flarerizamon said nervously. "If I defeat you first, I…I've got nothing to worry about!"

"Well, why don't you fight me and see for yourself?" Thomas asked. Flarerizamon lunged forth, flames trailing behind him and claws extended, and it was all over in an instant. Without even turning his body, Thomas held up his sword. Flarerizamon surrounded him with flames, from which the Digimon leaped out of. I barely even saw Thomas move…but Flarerizamon lay motionless on the ground in the blink of an eye.

"Now are you impressed?" Thomas looked down into the dying Digimon's eyes. "In that one swing of my blade, I was able to cut through and sever every last one of your nerves without cutting your skin or spilling your blood. Any second now, you will—" Flarerizamon's body dissolved into small fragments of data, and soon disappeared "—die…a very painless death." He smoothly and quietly slid his blade back into its scabbard, and as he began walking back towards me, his face a mix of light and shadows from the slowly receding fire, I became increasingly aware of how truly dashing he looked; his long, dark coat, trailing behind him, was flowing up and down in the wind; a pair of blue eyeglasses seemed to further bring out the rich darkness of his deep, dark eyes; a small, but dark and noticeable beard covered the lower half of his face, adding an air of ruggedness to his undeniably handsome face.

_And…he's nice to _me_, of all people…I doubt that would last if he ever found out what I was…_

"Are you unharmed? That Digimon didn't hurt you, did he?" Thomas asked. I looked up at him, and slowly shook my head. "…I made sure to kill him in a way that wouldn't be bloody. You don't look like you'd be comfortable with the sight blood. It's gotten easy for me to tell if people are or aren't."

"…You're right. I'm not," I said. "To be perfectly honest…I felt incredibly sick, looking at all of yours. But even though I can't stand the sight of it, I couldn't just leave you alone to die. I had to help you…"

"And for that, I am eternally grateful to you. Had you and Renamon not arrived when you did…We definitely would have died right there…"

"…Earlier…when Flarerizamon attacked…" Thomas looked up at me. "…You saved my life. I…I don't know what to say…Thank—"

"No thanks are necessary; I already promised you I would protect you while I'm here in return for saving my life." Those words left me feeling a familiar loneliness.

_While he's…here?_ It was hard for me to understand, but…I didn't want him to leave. Rather, I didn't want to be left behind. It had been so long since anyone was as kind to me as he was. At that instant, I made up my mind. I wanted to go with him and Statuedramon. _Besides…maybe they can help me…find her…_

"Are you ready?"

"Oh, yes…"

"It seems that I was right; all of that fire _was_ part of Flarerizamon's body, and killing him seems to have put an end to it," Thomas said. "With _that_ problem out of the way, we can start dealing with the bandits."

"…Yeah. I'll do whatever I can to help you, Thomas." _I just hope I don't get in your way…_

* * *

**Statuedramon**

**10 Minutes Passed**

"Ok, that should be the last of 'em," I said as I swung my sword, killing a Gizamon in the process.

"Not yet, Statuedramon; there's still one more," Renamon said, her icy-blue eyes glaring coldly at the rampaging Minotarumon.

"Oh, yeah; forgot about that dumbass…Geez, _this_ is going to be a real pain in the ass…" The towering Ultimate level Digimon smashed his left arm through a building, and began laughing as it crumbled to the ground in a pile of rubble. "Where are Thomas and Zelda? And why did all that damn fire suddenly disappear?!"

"Statuedramon!" The voice of my friend suddenly rang through the air, and when I turned around, I saw him and Zelda running toward us.

"Thomas! Where the hell have you two been?!" I hollered back.

"Sorry we're late," Thomas said. "I got kind of hung up fighting a Flarerizamon earlier. It took me longer to find you, though."

"Flarerizamon, huh? That explains why the fire vanished," I said to myself. "Well, now that you're here, we can deal with the big guy!" I pointed at Minotarumon.

"Please, allow me," Renamon said, leaping into the air as she prepared to attack.

"Wait, Renamon! You don't know what you're doing! He's too—"

"Diamond Storm!"

"Earthquake Drill!" Before Renamon could attack, Minotarumon swung his arm and struck her, sending her flying through the air until she crashed into a house behind me.

"Renamon, are you ok?!" Zelda shouted as she ran over to her Digimon. As Zelda approached her, Renamon began to turn transparent.

"Zelda, I'm only a Spirit; I'll be fine," Renamon said with a small smile, and without a hint of worry in her voice.

"Wait, what's going on?!" I shouted. "What do you mean?!"

"I will have to take my leave for a while; I need to rest…" Renamon gently shut her eyes as she completely faded away.

"What happened?! Where did she go?!" I yelled. "She's not…She didn't die, did she?!"

"She's fine," Zelda said calmly. "Rather, she _will_ be fine."

"What do you mean? She just vanished into thin air!" Thomas said.

"Renamon…is not like any other Digimon," Zelda said. "She's a Spirit, called forth by me to aid you." Zelda reached down to a leather satchel, small and brown, that I just noticed was around her slim waist, and from it, she pulled out what appeared to be a grey rock, small and octagonal in shape. "And…there is one other Digimon that I am able to summon." Zelda held the rock up above her head, a strange light emitting from it as she did.


	6. Distorted Spirit of Light

**A/N: **Sorry this one took so long to upload; it took me longer to write it than I had originally planned

* * *

**Zelda**

**Caladium Village**

Sadly, I looked down at the rock I held in my hand; I gently ran my thumb over the red design on it, in the shape of a knight Digimon. _This one has never once listened to me…and he probably never will…But this isn't the time to worry about that! If that Minotarumon isn't stopped right now, more innocent people will get hurt!_ I gripped the stone, and held it up above my head, the Digimon's design pointed at the heavens. "Come forth…Gallantmon! Cross over from the other realm, and aid my friends in this fight!" The stone emitted a bright light, and before me stood the astral form of the deadliest Digimon I had ever laid my eyes upon.

"Is it fighting time?!" the Exalted Knight Digimon asked excitedly, his bright yellow eyes glimmering with the thought of fighting someone. However, his excitement was short lived; when he noticed the Minotarumon, his eyes returned to their usual bored, somewhat annoyed glare. Minotarumon noticed the arrival of the Mega level Digimon, and he stood staring with a blank, slack-jawed expression, as if his tiny brain was trying to think about how Gallantmon arrived in the first place.

"_This_ is what I was called for? Fighting this worthless _nobody_?!" Gallantmon glared down at me, and for a moment, I thought now would be the time that he would finally strike me down in rage.

"…I…I'm sorry…" I said. _Maybe I shouldn't have summoned him…Knowing him, he'll end up doing more harm than good…_

"Well, as long as I'm here, I might as well work on my aim," Gallantmon said, running up to and thrusting his lance into the Minotarumon's left arm, destroying the weapon integrated onto it. Minotarumon howled in pain as he attempted to flee, but Gallantmon relentlessly and ruthlessly struck and bashed the Ultimate in the face and head with his shield. As Minotarumon's wailing grew more and more hysterical, Gallantmon's laughter grew louder, and he sounded as though he had gone insane from the pleasure attacking Minotarumon brought him. Minotarumon was on his knees, and he looked like he was begging for mercy, but the only sound he could make was an unintelligible grunting noise. Gallantmon raised his lance and pointed it between Minotarumon's eyes. My body began to act on its own, and before I knew it, I had run up behind Gallantmon.

"Gallantmon! Please, stop!" I shouted. "Please, stop hurting him! He's had enough!" To my surprise, Gallantmon brought his lance down.

"I _am_ getting bored," Gallantmon said thoughtfully. "All right, fine, I'll end this; Royal Saber!" Gallantmon unleashed a blast of lightning from his lance at Minotarumon, but the Ultimate jumped out of the way at the last second, causing Gallantmon's attack to strike and destroy an outdoor food stand. The Digitamamon waiter ran from the destruction, unharmed.

"Well…I guess we won't have to be paying him after all!" Statuedramon laughed nervously, sounding somewhat relieved.

"You STILL haven't paid that waiter?!" Thomas yelled.

"I still don't have any Florin!" Statch yelled back, though I doubt Thomas heard him over the noise of Gallantmon's next Royal Saber, which struck Minotarumon's right arm, incinerating it as soon as the attack hit. At that point, Minotarumon fell on his back, clutching his heavily bleeding arm while thrashing around in pain, though less vigorously than he had been before.

"Look at you, down on the ground, screaming in pain as if someone is going to pity you…As if you _matter_," Gallantmon said. The Exalted Knight kicked Minotarumon across the face before raising his shield. "Final Elysion!" Gallantmon unleashed a beam of light from his shield; Minotarumon screamed in pain one final time, and when Gallantmon's attack was finished, the Ultimate was nowhere to be seen, having been completely disintegrated from the attack. Minotarumon had been killed.

_Oh, god, what have I done?!_ I stared blankly at the spot Minotarumon had been. _I just wanted to stop Minotarumon; I didn't want him to…_ Though I had been surrounded by death my entire life, even before I found Gallantmon, and even though I had become quite used to seeing it, I always felt the same dread and nausea whenever I saw it. My stomach was in knots, and my heart felt torn.

"Mission accomplished," Gallantmon said smugly, before turning around to face me. "The next time you summon me to fight, _don't_ tell me how to do it; is that clear?!"

"I…I'm sorry…I just don't like seeing others in pain," I said meekly, attempting to avoid looking Gallantmon in the eyes. I always felt that if I did, he really _would_ attack me.

"Pity; a worthless emotion, like all the others. Anger and hatred are all you need in life…" Gallantmon grumbled something else quietly to himself as he faded away; enveloped in the same light as Renamon had been when she vanished.

"Gallantmon…you may never once listen to anything I have to say. You may even, one day, end my life. Even so, I shall continue to place my trust in you, and I will always pray for your safety and happiness." I smiled sadly at the stone in my hand. "…Perhaps you're right; maybe I _am_ too soft-hearted for my own good…"

"Well, it's because of that soft-heartedness that I'm alive," Thomas said. "I am forever indebted to you for saving my life, and for lending us your strength in this fight."

"That was amazing…whatever it was that you did!" Statuedramon exclaimed. "What _did_ you do, exactly?"

"These stones that I summoned Renamon and Gallantmon from," I held them in my hand, allowing Thomas and Statuedramon to get a good look at the markings on the front of them, resembling the Digimon I summoned from them. "They're called Digimon Talismans, and they hold the spirits of legendary Digimon slain in battle ages past. However, due to these Digimon having particularly strong wills and a love of fighting, their souls were intertwined permanently within these talismans, and they loyally serve those who hold their talismans. Not many people can summon Digimon, but those who are able to call out to these Digimon and bring them forth onto this plane of existence are called Digimon Summoners."

"Wow, that's incredible," Thomas said breathlessly. "I've never heard of such a power!"

"How many are there? Are you going to try to find them all?" Statch asked excitedly. "I wonder if _I'll_ become a rock when _I_ die! Ooh, I can't wait to find out!"

"There are hundreds of Digimon Talismans, maybe even thousands; trying to find all of them would be nearly impossible," I said, placing my two talismans back into the satchel that hung from my waist. I took a deep breath and sighed.

"That special ability of yours really saved our lives," Thomas said. "I'd hate to think of what would've happened to us if you hadn't saved us."

_This is it; this is my chance to ask them._ "…Thomas…Statuedramon…do you two…get around much?" I asked.

"Yeah, we travel a lot for our job, if that's what you mean," Thomas said. "We go pretty much everywhere on Arcadia, no matter how far away from our base it is."

_They're going to say no for sure…I mean, it wouldn't really surprise me if they did; who'd want someone like _me_ around? I can't let that worry me; I've got to ask!_ "…I've got a favor to ask of the two of you."

"Sure, what is it?" Statuedramon asked.

"You've saved our lives…many times over," Thomas said. "Whatever I could do to repay the debt, I would be honored to do so."

"There's…I've been looking for someone for a while now. It's my older sister, Hannah; over five years ago, we went our separate ways in this village after promising to meet up again here after a month. When I returned, I waited and waited for days, but she…she never returned. I…don't have any idea of where she could be right now, even though I've traveled almost all over Arcadia. So… I was wondering…if I could…Could I maybe…Could I go with you?"

"Of course you may. I haven't any problems with you coming with us."

"We'd love to have you come with us," Statuedramon said.

"…You…You would?"

"I could never say no to a girl with a bare midriff," Thomas said.

"Yeah, that's, like, his only weakness," Statuedramon added with a laugh. I felt my face heat up, but I smiled happily at Thomas.

"Thomas…Statuedramon…Thank—"

"But…just to be clear; you do realize who we are…right?" Statuedramon asked.

"The two of us…are assassins," Thomas said. My heart sank, but my decision did not change. "We live in the shadows, and we earn our pay by taking the lives of others."

"Don't get us wrong; we really appreciate you saving our asses back there, and we have no problem with you coming with us," Statuedramon said. "But you get nervous at the sight of blood, and you don't like seeing others in pain. We want you to make damn sure you're prepared to travel with people whose entire lives revolve around death."

"…I understand," I whispered. "I've been all by myself for over five years, searching aimlessly for my sister, while seeing blood…and pain…and death…nearly every day of my life…So I guess you could say…that I've gotten used to the sight of it. If you truly have no objections with me traveling alongside you two, and helping me look for my sister…then I would be more than happy to join the two of you, and help you with your job in any way I can."

"…If that is the way you feel…Then you should join our guild," Thomas said.

"Me? …Join an assassin's guild?"

"Not assassins, Milady; we are a mercenary guild," Statuedramon said.

"The two of us just happen to be assassins, as killing is what we do best. But, as members of a mercenary guild, our only desire is keeping innocent Humans and Digimon safe from bandit attacks like the one that happened here. Not everyone in our group is an assassin; there are several among us who have never even touched a weapon before in their lives, and I assure you; it will never be required of you to hurt another living being against your will."

"They're all good people; I'm sure they'd accept you immediately," Statuedramon said. "So, how 'bout it? Would you like to join our guild?"

"It's…really all right if I join your guild?" I asked. They both nodded.

I smiled. _Maybe, just maybe, for once in my life, I would have a place I could call home…_The thought made me happier than I had been for the longest time. "I…I would be honored to join your guild, Thomas!"

"The feeling is mutual, but first, we need to finish our job," Thomas said. "We need to hurry to Linnea Village and eliminate a bandit leader. It would be best if we left now, during the night; traveling Cyprus Desert in the day is rough, as I'm certain you are aware."

"Are you feeling up to it, Thomas?" Statuedramon asked.

"Yeah, my arm feels fine," Thomas said.

"And your leg?"

"…Fine as well." Thomas turned to face me. "Are you ready to depart? There isn't anything from your home you need to get, is there?"

"Oh, no, that wasn't actually my home," I said. "I travel around a lot, and the people of this village are gracious enough to allow me to stay in that house whenever I'm here."

"All right, then; let's go!" The three of us headed off into the outskirts of the village, and to the desert village of Linnea.

_I wonder…_As we began our trek through the desert, I carefully observed Statuedramon. _Does he really…not notice? Every Digimon I've ever met has noticed, but he doesn't seem to…_

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Linnea Village**

**4 Hours Passed**

As we finally stepped foot in Linnea Village, the moon had inched its way to the middle of the sky; in spite of this, however, there were many Humans and Digimon up and about, conversing, constructing, and playing amongst one another as if it were daytime. Architecturally, it was identical to Caladium Village, and I had a feeling that every desert village would be the same.

"I've come to this village before," Zelda said. "It was one of the first places I came across after leaving my home village, Adonis…Everyone here welcomed me with open arms, and treated me kindly. I was a little surprised at first; I was not used to being treated that way…"

"What do you mean?" Statuedramon asked.

"It's…nothing, really," Zelda smiled sadly. "All the Digimon here…they just said there was something different that they noticed about me. It made them feel uneasy to the point where they almost attacked me, and I was more or less kicked out of the village. I haven't been back here since. It's been almost the same for almost every other city or village I've been to, even Caladium; that's part of the reason why I have to travel around a lot."

"Zelda…why didn't you tell me?" I asked. "Why didn't you tell me that the Digimon here tried to hurt you? We didn't have to come here!"

"I'm sorry; I just didn't want to slow you two down…"

"Why the hell would anyone be trying to hurt _you_ of all people?! You're the nicest person I've ever met!" Statuedramon shouted. "Well, you and Thomas's surrogate mother, that is."

"There was nothing 'surrogate' about her," I corrected. "As far as I'm concerned, Victoria Kasuto _is_ my real mother; she loves me like her own child, and she was the first person who ever gave a crap about me. I can't even remember the last name my birth parents gave me, so I gave myself hers."

"…Yeah. She was the same with me, you know…" Statuedramon sighed. "So…who are we supposed to kill this time?"

"We weren't told," I said. "Rather, our Boss doesn't seem to know. It seems that we're supposed to find out on our own."

"Well, that doesn't sound too hard," Statch said. "Bandits are total idiots; I'm sure at least _you_ can trick 'em into revealing themselves, Tom."

"Of course, our target could easily be anyone in this crowd, so it would be best to keep our guard up," I said.

"Do you think we could find somewhere to eat? I'm getting hungry," Statuedramon said.

"You're always hungry," I retorted. "Besides, you never did pay that Digitamamon back in Caladium because we didn't have any Florin, and in case you haven't noticed, we _still_ don't."

"But I wanna eat!" Statuedramon whined.

"Well, if I'm remembering correctly…there should be a really great restaurant around here somewhere," Zelda said. "The food was amazing, and the owner was really nice; he let me eat for free because I didn't have any money back then."

"Do you think you can get another free meal out of him?" Statuedramon asked.

"I'd rather pay him; I wouldn't want to take advantage of his kindness," Zelda said. "I have enough Florin with me to cover us for a few days."

"All right! So, where's that restaurant?!" Statuedramon greedily rubbed his hands together, anxiously looking at each house and building we passed by.

"…That building, over there," Zelda pointed to a building quite larger than the others, resembling a saloon, with the words Meramon's Diner painted in big red letters near the top for everyone to see.

"Are you sure this is it?" Statch asked.

"Of course; I ate here for every meal for all four days I was here. There's no way I'd forget what it looks like."

"Then let's go!" Statuedramon eagerly ran into the diner, madly shoving the batwing doors open as he tripped and fell, facedown onto the floor.

_That idiot never looks where he's going…_ I sighed, my head hung low as I walked into the restaurant after my Digimon with a smiling Zelda.


	7. Duel in the Diner

**Zelda**

**Linnea Village**

Thomas and I followed Statuedramon into the dimly lit, old-fashioned restaurant. The swinging doors creaked softly as the two of us walked through them and into the diner.

_Nothing about this place has changed in the last six years, I see._ The entire building, on the outside, stood out from the other houses and buildings in Linnea; it was the only building to be constructed of wood, rather than stone, and it was noticeably shorter than the others, in spite of being two stories tall. It had a run-down look to it, making it appear older even than the stone buildings. The inside of the diner, however, was anything but run-down. Lively and rowdy, there were circular tables packed full of Humans and Digimon on both floors — so much so, that a majority of them were standing up, leaving little room for Thomas and I to walk around and find Statuedramon. We eventually found him at a miraculously empty table, looking around eagerly as a tall Digimon walked up to him at the same time Thomas and I did.

"Good evening, weary travelers, and welcome to our fine restaurant!" The Digimon, who I instantly recognized as the same Meramon who had once been kind to me all those years ago, walked up to Statuedramon and vigorously shook his hand. Thomas sat down next to Statuedramon, and I next to Thomas, far away from Meramon.

_Hopefully, he won't recognize me…_

"Is there anything I can do for you today, my fine friends?" Meramon spoke to us in a hearty voice and was grinning widely the entire time he spoke, and I kept my head hung low in hopes that he wouldn't notice that I was there. Thomas, apparently catching on, removed his coat and placed it over my shoulders, and I pulled the collar up to help shield my face.

"I'll take one of everything you've got; I don't care what it is, I just want it!" Statuedramon said. Meramon laughed as he wrote down Statuedramon's order on a notepad.

_Oh, please don't let him notice me…_Leaning over, I whispered into Thomas's ear, "Could you please tell Meramon that I'll have the same?" Thomas nodded. I took a quick glance at Meramon. He was glaring at me.

"You…I remember you," Meramon said, his eyes narrowing slightly in anger. "You may hide your face…But you can't mask your aura."

_Well, so much for them forgetting about me…_

"What does he mean by _that_?" Statch asked.

"Get out!" Meramon said in a harsh tone, completely different from his hearty and friendly voice from a moment ago. The entire diner had gone silent. Every customer was staring at our table. "…You can't afford to be seen here, or by anyone else in this village. Have you honestly forgotten what they…what _we_ did to you?! You can't stay here!" To Thomas's and Statuedramon's apparent surprise, the other customers had begun to taunt us, supporting Meramon's words.

_I guess I shouldn't have expected any of them to forget about me…_

"If you won't leave, I will be left with no choice but to _force_ you to leave!" Meramon said.

"Is that a _threat_?!" Statuedramon yelled; however, the Champion Digimon ignored him. I stared down at my hands, folded neatly in my lap as Meramon engulfed his hands in roaring flames. Statuedramon jumped onto the table and brandished his sword, swinging it at Meramon, who reached out and grabbed it without turning to face Statch. As it looked like the two would fight, the other customers ran out the front doors of the diner, leaving the four of us alone at this table.

"What's the matter? Don't like what I'm doing?"

"Damn right I don't! NOBODY threatens my friends and lives!" Statuedramon pulled his blade out of Meramon's hand.

"This girl is your _friend_?!" Meramon sneered. It was evident by the look on his face that he was more confused than disgusted. "But…you're a Digimon! You should be able to tell; she's different from the other Humans! Whatever the hell she is, nobody here wants her to stay! Trash like her…doesn't belong in a nice place like this."

"What the hell do you mean by that?!" Thomas shouted. "All we've heard is that all of the Digimon here hate her, and they haven't given us any good reason!" He took a step toward Meramon. "Start talking…or you _will_ be stabbed. Multiple times."

"Well…I guess nobody here really knows why, either," Meramon said. He seemed to have calmed down; he had lowered his voice and the flames on his fists were growing less wild. "All we know is that we can…We can just _sense_ that she's different, and we don't know what it means. Her presence is…disquieting, and we don't like it!" Meramon looked around the restaurant, and was shocked by its sudden emptiness, not having noticed the other customers fleeing when Statuedramon attacked him.

"Your reasoning isn't good enough, Meramon," Statuedramon said angrily.

"Statuedramon, please, don't make a big deal out of this; I'm used to being treated this way," I whispered, still looking down at my hands.

"I may not have known this girl very long — only a few hours, to be perfectly honest — but she is the kindest person I have ever met, and I've lived a hell of a long time, Meramon! So, I know a hell of a lot of people!" Statuedramon said, ignoring me as he aimed his sword at Meramon's throat.

"Statuedramon…don't attack him. Remember what we're in this village for," Thomas said. I looked over at him as he spoke, and though his voice was calm, he looked as ready to attack Meramon as Statuedramon did.

_They…care about me this much already? Even though I should be worth nothing to them…?_

"We cannot draw attention to ourselves; this is a job that requires us to be as unnoticeable as possible. Got it?" Thomas asked. Statuedramon lowered his sword with a disappointed look on his face as he jumped off the table. "Let's just leave before something happens…Something that we might regret…okay?"

"Yeah…we probably don't want any of their food, anyway; I'm sure it tastes much worse than the moldy crap Digitamamon gave me," Statuedramon said as he shoved his way past Meramon.

"That does it; _nobody_ insults the food at _my_ restaurant! Fireball!" Meramon formed a ball of flames in his hand, but as he prepared to throw it at Statuedramon, a large missile sailed past the open doors of the saloon and struck Meramon in the left leg. The Flame Digimon fell to the ground, clutching his injured leg in pain as three Digimon walked into the diner.

"Meramon…attacking innocent bystanders again," the tallest Digimon said. "Whatever are we going to do with him, Giromon? Tankmon?"

"Volcamon…I do _not_ attack innocent people," Meramon snarled, picking himself up off the floor. "_You_ of all people ought to know that by now!"

"You can't trick us; you were just about to attack these three, weren't you?!" Giromon asked, waving his chainsaw at Meramon.

"Well…yeah, but…_They_ deserve it! That girl; she's—"

"Don't waste your time with him, Giromon," Tankmon said. "We should just destroy him now and get it over with; a violent thug like him has no place in a village like this!"

"_I'm_ not the criminal; _you_ three are!" Meramon shouted.

"And why, pray tell, would anybody believe _you_, after seeing you attack these three?" Volcamon asked. "The three of us work for an honest, hard-working Digimon that cares about the safety of all the Humans and Digimon in this village. You…you just tried to attack three innocent people. What have you got to say for yourself?!"

"…Why did you come here, Volcamon?" Meramon asked.

"We've had enough, Meramon; we came here to blow this place down to put an end to your cruelty," Tankmon said.

"However, we've decided to give you one more chance," Giromon said. "If you allow us to take these three off your hands and into our…protective custody, we'll leave you and this little shack of yours alone for the moment."

"However, if we ever hear about you doing something like this _ever_ again, you're dead!" Volcamon shouted.

"What in Arcadia's name would you want with _them_?!" Meramon glared at the three mechanical Digimon spitefully. "…Fine; take them with you, but don't you let me see them ever again!"

"You're hardly in the position to be making threats, Meramon," Tankmon laughed.

"You three," Volcamon looked over at the three of us. "Please, come with us."

"Gladly!" Statuedramon quickly followed the three Digimon out of the saloon. Thomas and I stood up to follow the Digimon out of the diner.

"Keep your guard up," Thomas whispered. I looked at him and nodded, though his words weren't necessary. I was already too familiar with how even the nicest Humans and Digimon could end up hating you…or worse.

"…Thank you, Thomas," I whispered back. "I'm used to being treated the way Meramon was treating me…But still, you…" I stopped walking for a moment, and Thomas turned back to look at me. "Nobody's ever…done something like that for me before…Treating me like a friend…" Thomas smiled at me. The same smile that made me feel shy and self-conscious. Averting my gaze from his, I removed his coat from my shoulders and returned it to him.

"Meramon was yelling at you for no reason. I couldn't let that keep happening…not after what you did for me," he said. "Although…I guess I didn't really do anything to actually _stop_ him, did I?"

I shook my head. "No…The fact that you stood up for me like that…It…means a lot to me. Thank you…Thomas."

"…You have a story, don't you?" Thomas asked. "Things have happened to you…Things that shouldn't have."

"…You could tell?"

"Everyone I know tells me I have a gift for reading people. But you? I can't even get past the first page," he continued. "It just seems that…even when you're smiling, you always seem so…crestfallen. When we're done here in Linnea Village, would you please tell me your story?"

"…No…No, I can't. If I tell you…You'll hate me, too…I can't have that."

"Very well, then. If you ever feel the need to talk, I'll be ready to listen."

"I know."

"Well, now that that's all out of the way, we should hurry and find Statuedramon before he gets himself lost…_again_."

"This is a small village; there's only one road. C'mon!" I said. I led Thomas through the village along a dirt road until we finally found Statuedramon sitting at a table just outside a different restaurant. With him were the three Digimon from earlier, and all four looked to be having a pleasant conversation until Volcamon spotted us. The tallest of the four Digimon stood up and walked over to us.

"Are you both unharmed? Meramon didn't actually attack you, did he?" Volcamon asked.

"No; you three came just in time!" Statuedramon said. "Thanks for saving us like that, Tankmon!"

"Aw, don't mention it," Tankmon said.

"Tell me; what do you know about that Meramon?" Thomas asked.

"Meramon…he's one of the worst Digimon out there," Volcamon said gravely. "He's really strong, too; the three of us fighting together would have a rough time defeating him. He gets so drunk with his power, it's like…"

"I fear he may one day burn down the village," Giromon said. "I'm sure that Meramon would love to do nothing else, but there's no way he'd do it right now."

"Oh, really? Why not?" Statuedramon asked.

"Because of our master, Lord Etemon," Tankmon said. "He's the strongest Digimon around; the only reason Meramon hasn't burned this place to the ground is because he fears Etemon's strength!"

"If Meramon's as bad as you say he is, why is he still here?" Thomas asked. "Shouldn't Etemon have done something about him by now?"

"Well…it's shameful for us to admit this," Volcamon said. "But…Etemon's power isn't exactly enough to completely defeat Meramon. However, we all do our best to make sure nobody is hurt by that evil Digimon!"

"There were a lot of people at his restaurant that seemed to support him when he was…ridiculing our friend," Thomas said.

"Yes, unfortunately, a Digimon like that is bound to have a few followers here and there," Giromon said. "He's also managed to fool a lot of the people in this village into thinking _we're_ the bad guys, and _he's_ the protector of this village!"

"The nerve of that punk!" Tankmon spat.

_I can't believe Meramon's really such a bad Digimon…He was so kind to me five years ago…But the way he acted today…Could he really be the Digimon that Thomas and Statuedramon are after?_ Every time I thought about Meramon, my thoughts about him would go back and forth, between liking him and fearing him.

"Never fear, though; a few people in this village know the truth about that monster," Volcamon said. "Anyway, that's plenty enough about us; tell us, who are you three? We've never seen you around before."

"We're here on business," Thomas said. "We've…been given orders to eliminate a certain person."

"…Really? And who might that be?" Volcamon asked. The once-friendly tone of his voice disappeared momentarily as he looked at Thomas.

"We aren't sure yet, but by the sound of things, we believe our target is Meramon."

"Oh, wonderful!" Volcamon exclaimed. "With your help, we might actually stand a chance against that bastard!"

"Would you like to come with us to meet our master?" Giromon asked. "I'm sure he'd be quite pleased to become acquainted with you." Giromon's eyes were fixated on me as he spoke.

"Actually, yes; that sounds like a good idea," Thomas said.

"Very good; please, follow us," Volcamon stood up, and Tankmon, Giromon, and he began leading us through the village until a small castle came into view.

"Is that where he lives?" Statuedramon asked.

"Indeed it is; you'll all be granted plenty of food, and rooms to sleep in for the night by our gracious master," Volcamon said.

"Awesome; I can't wait! So, what kind of food does he have?" Statuedramon asked as Volcamon and the others led the three of us through the open doors of the castle.


	8. Assault in the Night

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Linnea Village**

By the time we had reached Etemon's castle, based on the position of the moon, it was midnight, give or take a few minutes to an hour.

_It's hard for me to tell this far south. It's not like it is in the West or the East. And, of course, in the North, neither sun nor moon can be seen through the consistent blizzard. I'm sure people living here have no trouble keeping track of what time it is…_

"Is this the castle?" Statuedramon asked.

"Yes, this is it," Volcamon said. "This is where our master, Etemon, lives." Two large doors were swung and held open by the tall Ultimate, allowing Giromon and Tankmon to lead Statuedramon, Zelda, and me through a large hallway. The doors slammed shut behind us, and I could hear Volcamon's footsteps as he followed us. It was a cloudless night and the moon was full; had the doors remained open, the hallway would have remained sufficiently illuminated. There were, however, lit candelabra securely fastened to the walls, providing enough light for the six of us to see clearly enough.

"This is a straightforward path, and at the end of it, we'll find the room where our master waits," Giromon said. The hallway by itself was large and spacious; the ceiling seemed to be about 30 feet high, and the walls were about 15 feet apart. The floor was made of neatly-paved stone tiles and adorned with a long, red carpet for us to walk on. The end of the hall soon came into sight, with two more large doors coming into sight through the darkness. As we approached them, Volcamon walked past me to join his Digimon allies.

"Our master awaits your arrival beyond these doors," Volcamon said as he and Tankmon, with extreme difficulty, shoved the giant doors open, allowing us to walk in. The room looked similar to the hallway but was round and not quite as tall. To our left was a large, circular table surrounded by many empty chairs. Stacked high all across the table were various kinds of meats, cheeses, and pastries, more than I had ever seen in my life at one time, which was definitely saying something, as I've been traveling with Statuedramon for over five years. At the opposite end of the room was an average-sized throne, where a Digimon sat observing us.

"Master Etemon!" Giromon shouted, looking across the room and waving at the Digimon. "We've brought guests with us!"

"Yes…I can see that, Giromon," Etemon said. His voice sounded dull and uninterested. "Why did you bring them _here_? Just put them—"

"They're bandit hunters, sir," Volcamon interrupted — rather hastily, I noted. "They've promised to lend us their aid in getting rid of that Meramon, sir!"

"Huh? Oh! Oh, right, Meramon! Yeah…I was…I was just thinking about him," Etemon said nervously. He stepped down off his throne and walked up to the three of us. "Pleasure to meet you, all of you! The name's Etemon, and I'm the, uh, protector of this small village!" Etemon took and energetically shook my hand, as well as Statuedramon's and Zelda's. His voice sounded much more enthusiastic than it did before. "So…bandit hunters…right?"

"…Yes, sir," I said. "Although, to be perfectly clear, the two of us," I pointed at Statuedramon and myself, "are assassins. Our friend is…not a killer. She is not an assassin. We were sent here to eliminate a bandit leader."

"…Meramon…right?" Etemon asked.

"Well, I don't know yet. Could be. Or maybe…it's you." Etemon's jaw clenched. "Heh. Or maybe it's me. Unless you _are_ the killer, one can never know for sure until you're staring death straight in the eye. And by then…it's too late." Etemon was staring at me, completely dumbfounded with his mouth slightly agape. _Not quite the reaction I was looking for…Guess I'll just have to keep trying. _"Oh, but why am I boring you like this? The daily life of a professional killer is _sure_ to be of no interest to a peaceful village guardian like _you_."

"No…don't worry about it," Etemon said.

_Hmm…Either he really _is_ this village's guardian…or he's who I'm looking for…I might have to speak with Meramon before I make up my mind._

"It's much too late for you to go out now and do your job," Etemon continued. "Why don't you all call it a night and have some dinner, and then you can go straight to bed? You can worry about Meramon in the morning."

"But…it would be easier for us to do the job at night, when we won't be easily spotted," Statuedramon said.

"It might not look it, but Linnea Village is a very active village. Even in the middle of the night, the streets are crowded," Tankmon said.

"But—"

"We shall do what was asked of us, Statuedramon," I said. "As with all of our clients."

"…Fine. At least I'll get to eat…_For once!_" Statuedramon sulked over to the table and began eating without even bothering to sit down first. Zelda and I joined him, as did the other Digimon, except for Etemon. The Ultimate-level Digimon sat back down on his throne and continued to stare at us.

"What was all of that about?" Zelda whispered once we sat down. "When you accused Etemon, and then yourself…What were you doing?"

"…Only a test," I replied. "I wanted to see if Etemon was telling the truth."

"…And?"

"I can't tell yet…I'll have to—"

"How is the food?" Etemon interrupted. "Is everything to your liking?" I looked carefully across the table. Volcamon, Tankmon, and Giromon were eating as well, so I guessed that the food was at least not poisoned. But Etemon seemed to notice that I wasn't eating; he asked, "What's the matter?"

"Oh, he can't eat very often…or too much," Statuedramon said through a mouthful of food.

"Why not?" Zelda looked up at me with a worried look on her face.

"About one year ago, while on a job, I was stabbed in the gut by a Stingmon. It messed up all of my organs pretty bad." Zelda gasped. "You needn't worry; the wound's completely closed up and healed—"

"Which is what you say about the wound you've had on your leg for _nine years_," Statch interrupted.

"…But the damage is permanent, so says our groups' witch," I finished.

"That'd be _my_ guess; if even _Luna_ can't heal it, _nobody_ can," Statch said.

"…Indeed." I looked down, and found Zelda's hand resting atop my own. She was gazing at me with a sorrowful expression on her face, though when she noticed me, she quickly pulled away and began eating. After watching her eat an amount of food that should have been impossible for a girl of her small stature to consume — roughly the same amount as Statuedramon, which was already more than the average Human could eat — the three of us were led away from the table by Volcamon and up a set of curved stairs to a large room that had several beds spread out in it. On the opposite side of the room's door was a large circular balcony, with a pair of closed glass doors being the only thing that separated us from it.

"This castle might look big, but in reality, this is the only other bedroom there is," Volcamon said. "Is this going to be a problem for the lady? If you'd like, I can see if I can find another room…"

"No, this isn't going to be a problem," Zelda said. "I don't mind sharing a room with them."

"As you wish," Volcamon said, bowing slightly before leaving the room. Zelda and Statuedramon instantly climbed into a bed; I, however, walked over to the glass doors and looked outside. After a few minutes of standing and waiting, Statuedramon's loud snoring began to fill the air.

_I guess now's a good a time as any._ I turned and looked back at my friends. I gazed the longest at Zelda. She was on her back, with a small smile across her face, and her hands folded neatly and resting atop her belly. _She looks so…peaceful…when she's asleep…I'd better go._ As quietly as I could, I opened the glass doors and stepped onto the balcony. I gave them both one final look before I climbed off the balcony and leapt down onto the ground below. _The middle of the night, but it's almost as bright as day with the full moon…I swear, I'll never understand the desert province._

* * *

**Meramon**

**Meramon's Diner**

**Ten Minutes Elapsed**

_That damn Etemon, always sticking his nose into my business; who does he think he is, claiming to be Linnea's guardian?! How could anyone fall for it?! Though, I guess those three _are_ from out of town…_I sat in a chair in my diner, looking out a window at the night sky. _By now, he's probably tricked those three into thinking I'M the bad guy…_ I sighed. It was no use; no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop thinking about that girl. _Why do I feel so uneasy whenever I'm around her? The same unease, once five or six years ago, when she came here for the first time, and again last night…and not just me; ALL the Digimon around here seem to feel it as well. What's wrong with us? She's never done anything to make us think she'd be different, and yet…Maybe it's our natural instincts?_

"Big brother, are you ok?" The sudden voice startled me, and I turned around to see my twin little brothers, both of them Candlemon, looking up at me. I smiled and stood up.

"No, little brothers, I am fine; I was just thinking," I said.

"Big brother, there's someone here that says he wants to see you," the other Candlemon said. At least, I think it was the other one; I had trouble telling the two apart. "He might be a customer."

"A customer, this late at night? I hardly ever get anyone _after_ midnight…" Nervously, I walked to the entrance of the diner. _It better not be that damn Volcamon again!_ I opened the doors and was surprised to see saw one of the Humans I had nearly attacked about an hour ago. "…You...were with that...girl, weren't you? Thomas, isn't it? What do you want?"

"I've come here to do my job," Thomas said. "I've been ordered to eliminate you, Meramon."

"Eliminate me," I said, looking at him sadly. "…I see…"

"No! We won't let anyone hurt our big brother!" Both Candlemon jumped in front of me and glared up at Thomas. "Big brother, what does eliminate mean?"

"You didn't let me finish," Thomas said. "I've been ordered to eliminate Meramon…by Etemon. However, my only mission was to come here so I could find and assassinate a leader of a bandit group."

"And you…think that's me, don't you?" I asked.

"If I did, we wouldn't be talking like this. You'd already be dead," Thomas said coldly. "Although…based on the way you behaved earlier… I'd say you're a likely candidate. But if it isn't you…it's Etemon."

"Yeah! It's Etemon! It's definitely Etemon!" the Candlemon said in a jumbled unison.

"Not so fast, you two," I said. I picked them both up and walked back into the restaurant, placing them on a table. Thomas followed me inside. "I'm definitely no bandit; but then, what right do you have to believe me? We've never met, and…after the way I treated your friend…I almost attacked her…for no reason…"

"I cannot forgive anyone who insults or hurts my friends like that, and if it were up to me, you wouldn't be standing right now," Thomas said. "You can consider yourself lucky; my only target of assassination is a bandit leader."

"And you think that may be Etemon?" I asked, walking back outside, with Thomas still following me.

"…I'd say it's more than likely," he replied. "I'll be honest; this is the first job I've been on where I didn't know my target. Boss's choice, apparently. Anyway, Etemon's reactions to a few of the things I said to him weren't _exactly_ what I was expecting, so I decided to drop by and speak with you." Thomas turned to face me. "When I told you I was here to kill you…the look on your face…it was almost as if you accepted your fate, that you were ready to die."

"I've done things in my past, things I'm not proud of at all," I said, shaking my head slowly as I looked up at the starry sky. "It was only for a moment that I, to use your words, accepted my fate, and yet…when those little ones protested, I knew I couldn't die and leave them all alone."

"Is that so…" was all I heard Thomas mutter before he began walking away.

"Where are you going?" I called after him. He turned around and faced me, a small smile on his face.

"Someone like you could never be a bandit; you care too much about your little brothers," Thomas said. He turned around once again and continued walking, his long black coat billowing behind him, but suddenly, he stopped and looked around cautiously.

"Get down!" Without warning, Thomas ran back over to me and shoved me to the ground just as what appeared to be a missile struck the ground where I was just standing.

"Thomas…you…you saved my life!" I gasped. "Even though I…didn't deserve it, least of all from you…you did it anyway…"

"Big brother, what happened?" the Candlemon asked.

"You two, get back inside!" I ordered. The two Candlemon hopped quickly back into the restaurant as Thomas and I got back up. "What happened? Who attacked us?!"

"The attack came from far away," Thomas said. "It was probably Tankmon…"

"You sure? How can you tell?" I asked.

"Didn't you hear it coming? It came from the direction of that castle Volcamon took me and my friends to!" Thomas said, looking in the direction of Etemon's castle. "Another one is coming!"

Thomas and I dove to the ground, but the attack wasn't aimed at either of us. I turned around and screamed in horror as the attack struck my restaurant, exploding on impact, with my two little brothers in it.

"No! Candlemon! CANDLEMON!" I helplessly called their names as I ran over to the now burning building, digging through the debris to find them.

"Meramon…" one of the Candlemon weakly hopped up to me.

"Candlemon! Candlemon, you're okay!" I reached down and picked up my younger brother, hugging him tightly. "Where's your brother?! Is he okay?!"

"Big brother…our home fell down on him…the other Candlemon got trapped and he couldn't get out before he…he got…"

"Candlemon…No…he's…" I looked down at my younger brother, who was tightly holding onto my arm. "… Don't worry…I'll keep you safe, little brother," I said, hugging my brother's sobbing body tighter. "Thomas!" I yelled out to the boy, who hadn't moved since the previous attack. "I expect that bastard to be dead before the sun sets tomorrow, do you hear me?!"

"I understand," Thomas said. "Don't worry; I promise his death will be a slow and painful one." Thomas turned around and started running back to Etemon's castle.

* * *

**Etemon**

**Etemon's Castle**

"Direct hit!" Tankmon exclaimed from atop one of the castle's numerous balconies. The Champion Digimon was so large, there wasn't enough room for anyone else, other than the hovering Giromon, to stand on the balcony next to him.

"Nice work," I said. "Did you get him?"

"Well…I didn't get Meramon, but I _did_ get his restaurant!"

"Well, I'm sure you'll be able to get him next time," Giromon said.

"That's not all," Tankmon said. "I saw something…interesting while I was open-firing at Meramon."

"Well? What did you see?" I asked. Tankmon turned around to face us, a mild look of amusement on his face.

"I saw…that Human, Thomas, saving Meramon's life."

"What?! No way!" Giromon protested.

"It is possible," Volcamon said. "After all, he may not think Meramon is the bandit he's after."

"And that's not all!" Tankmon chimed in. "They were talking about how they suspected _you_, Etemon! What's more, he's on his way back here at this moment!"

"What?! How can you know that? They're almost a mile away!" Giromon said.

"I can read lips, Giromon!" Tankmon said defensively.

"Never doubt the eyesight of a sniper like Tankmon," Volcamon said in a calm voice.

"So…he suspects _me_, does he?" I pondered. "Volcamon…the girl and that old lizard. Put them in the dungeon."

"Yes, sir," Volcamon bowed as he left the room.

_That's what I like about that boy; he never questions me! Not like those other two._

"Forgive my ignorance, sir, but what good will locking those two up do?" Tankmon asked.

"Well, when Thomas gets back to his room, and discovers his friends are missing…" I began laughing at the cleverness of my plot. "That is when Volcamon will get him from behind!"

"Oh, you're a genius, sir!" Giromon exclaimed.

"I know!" I said.

After about five minutes, Volcamon returned. "Mission accomplished, sir," he said.

"That was certainly fast," Giromon said, a small hint of awe in his voice.

"They didn't even wake up; made it easier to lock them away and chain them," Volcamon said. "I also made sure to remove any weapons they may have had."

"Excellent…Now, Giromon and Tankmon!" The two Digimon turned to face me. "Go to the dungeon and guard our newest prisoners. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Tankmon and Giromon left the room, leaving me alone with Volcamon.

"You know your job, right?" I asked.

"I will succeed, sir." Volcamon quietly left the room.

"Idiots," I said to myself, looking out from the balcony to the small village of Linnea. "Meramon's not going to burn you to the ground…that's _my_ job."


	9. Prison Break

**Thomas**

**Etemon's Castle**

**25 Minutes**

By the time I made it back to Etemon's Castle, the moon had crept slowly down the sky and was almost at the horizon. Stars were beginning to gradually fade away as the sky's murky blackness began to change to a soft and silky sapphire blue that was not unlike Zelda's even lovelier eyes.

_Everyone should still be asleep,_ I thought as I walked into the fortress. _I did get lost a few times, trying to make my way back here. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on Statch the next time he gets me lost…_To my relief, the candelabras in the hallway were still lit, so I could easily find my way through the castle and to the room Volcamon led me to. I slowly opened the door so it would not creak, and when I entered the vaguely illuminated room, I saw that neither Statch nor Zelda were in their beds. Looking at all the beds in the room, I sighed. There weren't any signs of a struggle, nor was there any blood.

…_I guess I should have expected this._ Behind me, I could hear the door open very quietly, along with the familiar metallic clang of a weapon being removed from a holster. "Don't even think about it."

"Heh. Now you've gone and ruined my big entrance," Volcamon said, walking up beside me. "How could you tell?"

"I'm an assassin; I can tell when someone wants to kill someone else, and right now, there's so much bloodlust in the air, I can practically taste it," I said. I turned to face the Ultimate Digimon. "Plus, I heard you remove that hidden knife from your microphone, and the door creaked slightly when you opened it." Volcamon looked down at the weapon in his hand.

"You have pretty good hearing, don't you?" Volcamon asked nervously.

"I'll have you know that assassins don't fuck around," I said. "Now, where are my friends?"

"Your friends aren't here, Thomas," Volcamon said. I sighed. "Etemon's heading for Linnea as we speak to deal with that troublesome Meramon, and there's nothing you can do to stop him!"

"I don't have time to waste speaking with you, then," I said. "You can either tell me where my friends are, or I can stab you in the face. What'll it be?"

"…You think you can stop me?" Volcamon asked.

"Please; I've ended the lives of countless stronger Digimon than _you_. Killing you shouldn't be a problem at all."

"Is that so? Then prove it to me, assassin; prove to me that you're every bit as capable as you claim to be!"

"That's not something you should be wishing for—"

"Tackle Time!" Volcamon ran past me, and crashed into the brick wall when I stepped out of the way. "Damn it…No fair…moving…"

"You expected me to just stand there and let you attack me? As if." Volcamon rushed past me, and once again, he collided headfirst with the wall. _Why do I always get the stupid ones?_ When he turned around to face me again, he had a more dazed look on his face than usual, and several bricks from the wall had become dislodged and fell onto the floor. "You know, this would be a lot easier if you'd just tell me where my friends are."

"No…I'm not…about…to do that…" Volcamon was now holding his head, and his eyes were tightly shut.

"If you tell me, I won't kill you."

"Tackle Time…" I rolled my eyes and stepped aside once more. Volcamon continued running and crashed through the glass doors at the opposite end of the room. The Ultimate tripped over the balcony and fell out of the castle, falling to the ground below. I carefully stepped around the smashed glass and looked down.

"…Out cold. Great; now I'll have to try to find them on my own…" I left the room, closing and locking the door behind me in case Volcamon climbed back up the balcony. I looked around the hallway, and noticed a stairway leading down. Removing a lit candelabrum from its place on the wall, I climbed down the darkened stairway. I walked in silence for a few minutes until I heard a few voices conversing.

"How much longer do we have to stand guard here?"

"Until Etemon says we can stop, idiot!"

I froze. _Those were…Tankmon's and Giromon's voices…_As slowly and as quietly as I could, I continued climbing down the paved stone stairs.

"Man, those Digimon in Linnea weren't kidding; this girl really _does_ have some kind of a weird presence," Tankmon said.

"I know; makes me wanna pop the stupid cunt in the mouth for bein' so damn irritatin,'" Giromon agreed. "Or, I could just cut off 'er head."

"HEY, SHUT UP!"

_Statuedramon…_

"Say that again to my face!" Statuedramon shouted. "Try threatening her again! Go on; I dare you!"

"Statuedramon, please, don't worry about it," Zelda's meek voice echoed through the silence that followed Statch's outburst. "It's okay…I've been treated like this before…"

"Well, in that case, maybe we _should_ go ahead and kill her," Giromon said.

"I dunno…Etemon always says that dead hostages have no value, Giromon," Tankmon said.

"It would only be the girl," Giromon snickered.

"DAMNIT! YOU—!" Statuedramon began yelling unintelligible threats at the two Digimon.

"Statuedramon, please, calm down," Zelda said gently.

"I can't…I'm stuck…"

_Oh, for fuck's sake, Statch! _I rolled my eyes. At this point, I was now running down the stairs rather noisily, and the end of the stairway soon came into view.

"Sheesh, couldn't Volcamon be here instead of us?" Tankmon asked. "That stupid lizard is giving me a headache, and the girl's no better! And _she's_ actually quiet!"

"Shut up, Tankmon! I think I hear someone coming!" Giromon whispered.

_Well, guess there won't be any use in hiding…_ I walked into the room, coming face-to-face with the two mechanical Digimon. Separated from me by a row of metal bars that formed a very crudely made prison cell at the opposite end of the room were my two friends. Chains were shackled around their ankles, keeping them both chained to the two back corners of the room.

"Where the hell have you been, Thomas?!" Statuedramon yelled. He was wedged partially between two of the bars, up to his shoulder, and was frantically moving his arm around in a vain attempt to free himself.

"Sorry I took so long," I said. "It would've been a shorter trip if Volcamon had just told me were this room was before he knocked himself unconscious. Bloody idiot…"

"That's not what I meant, damn it!"

"Wait a minute…You said Volcamon was unconscious," Giromon said.

"So…you were actually able to defeat him? By _yourself_?!" Tankmon asked.

"You sound surprised. I have already stated that I was capable of something like this, and much more," I said.

"Oh, who the hell cares? All this means is that the two of us will get to have all the fun of doing you in by ourselves!" Giromon said.

"…_Really_? Well…if you think you _can_, why not try and see for yourself?"

"So…Etemon really _was_ the bandit," Statuedramon said in a disappointed voice.

"Of course he was, you idiot! I even told you myself!" Tankmon shouted.

"And now, you're all going to die with that information fresh on your mind!" Giromon, holding his chainsaw in one hand and a grenade in the other, flew over to me and vigorously swung his chainsaw at me. "There's not a Human around who can stand a chance against my chainsaw!" I effortlessly dodged each of Giromon's attacks until I struck him across the face with my sword with enough force to make him fly through the air and hit a wall. He fell to the ground, unconscious. I then turned my attention to Tankmon, who slowly wheeled over to me.

"C'mon, Thomas…buddy! We don't have to do this!" Tankmon said.

"…I take it _you_ were the one behind the attack on Meramon's restaurant earlier," I said.

"Of course; who _else_ could've hit a building from that far a distance? No one else, that's who!" Tankmon said with pride, failing to notice that I had walked over to Giromon.

"That's too bad," I said, kneeling down next to Giromon to pick up the grenade that had slipped from his limp hand. "I was hoping I would only have to kill the bandit leader that I was ordered to kill today; I hate getting my coat dirty." Tankmon sneered at me as I ran up to him and shoved Giromon's grenade down the gun barrel on his head, making him laugh.

"Thanks for the ammunition, dumbass! Hyper Cannon!" Tankmon aimed his barrel at me, and when he prepared to fire Giromon's grenade, his entire body became enveloped in the flames of a rather small explosion, creating a thick, black smoke that filled the entire room. When it cleared, neither Tankmon nor Giromon were anywhere to be seen.

_Strange, that explosion shouldn't have been large enough for Giromon to get caught up in the blast…_

"Thomas!" Statuedramon yelled. "Now that the bad guys are dead, I would be most appreciative if you would be so kind as to GET ME OUT OF THESE BARS!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it." With a few well-aimed strikes of my sword, I cleanly sliced through the bars of the cell, freeing Statuedramon and creating an opening large enough for me to walk through. "Are you two okay?"

"We're fine," Zelda said. "They've taken my Talismans and Statuedramon's weapons, but they didn't hurt us."

"Our stuff is over there." Statch pointed to a wooden table with Zelda's satchel and his own sword and shield on it. "But I think Tankmon had the keys when you blew him up…" I gave the Rookie Digimon a blank look. "_When you blew him up_," he repeated.

"Give me a little credit, Statch," I said. I jammed the tip of my sword into the keyhole of the shackle around his ankle, and it opened immediately, and as I did the same for Zelda, Statuedramon walked out of the cell to the table where his weapons were.

"Where did you go last night?" Zelda asked.

"Yeah, what happened?" Statch asked, handing Zelda her satchel. "Why were _you_ the only one lucky enough to not get caught?"

"I went to pay a visit to Meramon," I said. "I wasn't sure if he was the one we were looking for or not, and while I was there, his diner was attacked by Tankmon, and one of his little brothers was killed."

"How terrible," Zelda said breathlessly.

"Wait, you're _pitying_ him?!" Statuedramon asked. "After everything he said to you the other day, after he tried to attack you, you still feel _bad_ for him?!"

"That's enough, Statuedramon," I said firmly.

"Etemon is the bad guy…that's hard to believe," Statuedramon said. "He had such good food and everything!"

"Where is Etemon right now?" Zelda asked as she fastened her satchel around her waist.

"Volcamon told me he was on his way to Linnea to deal with Meramon," I said.

"Come on, we have to go after him!" Statuedramon said.

* * *

**Linnea Village**

**7 Minutes**

"We should be getting close," I said. _Damn it, where is that restaurant?!_

"Thomas, look out!" Statuedramon shouted just as a small, singe-covered Digimon, carrying a chainsaw, whizzed right past my head. Though he missed my head, Giromon did manage to hit my left shoulder with his chainsaw, and as he saw my blood stain my clothes and run down my arm, he laughed, completely beside himself with glee.

"That's what you get for killing my friend Tankmon with one of my weapons!" Giromon said.

"Yes," Volcamon said, walking up next to Giromon. "Tankmon must be avenged!"

"So…you're still alive," I said.

"Yeah, I'm a little surprised myself," Volcamon said. He rubbed the back of his neck and said, "If I were a Human, that fall would've killed me for sure. Still, it really hurt, and I passed out for a little while…"

"Now there's no way you're going to win!" Giromon sneered. "The three of you are no match for Volcamon!"

"Bring it on!" Statuedramon said, brandishing his sword as Volcamon ran up to him and thrust his knee into the Rookie's face. Statuedramon nearly fell over, his face a bloody mess, and Volcamon punched him in the face. His weapons flew out of his hands, and he fell over, barely conscious and unarmed.

"You're next!" Volcamon pointed at me. "Tackle Time!"

"Thomas…look out," Statuedramon said weakly as a small trickle of blood welled from his mouth. I, however, stood my ground. As the Android Digimon got closer and closer to me, I drew my sword and held it up, and as Volcamon prepared to crash into me, I thrust my blade into his stomach. Surprised, Volcamon fell to his back, trying to cover up the bleeding wound on his stomach.

"What the HELL?! No…no way!" Giromon exclaimed, dropping his chainsaw. "How could anybody defeat Volcamon so quickly?!" Giromon looked over at me, at my blood-drenched sword, and flew away screaming.

"Giromon…come back," Volcamon said weakly. "Help…me…"

"No way! I'm not fighting anyone who can hurt _you_ that badly!" Giromon shouted back, vanishing into the distance.

"Cowardly…little…bastard…" Volcamon coughed up a large puddle of blood, and then fell silent before his body dissolved into small fragments of data.

"Come on, we have to hurry," I said. "Etemon could have already made it to Meramon's saloon by now!"


	10. Shades of Evil

**Etemon**

**Linnea Village**

It had taken me a while, but I finally found the remnants of Meramon's demolished restaurant. Grinning at the damage I had caused earlier in the night, I turned to glance behind me. The streets were empty. There wasn't a single Human or Digimon in sight. They had all fled at the first sight of me. _Its better this way,_ I thought. _The fewer witnesses there are, the easier it will be for me to get away with murdering him._ I looked around. That lowlife Meramon was nowhere to be seen, either. My smile vanished. "Meramon…Where is he? Where are you, Meramon?! Quit hiding, wherever you are, and face me, you coward!"

"I'm right here," I heard Meramon's voice say. I turned around and saw him sitting at an outdoor table of a neighboring diner, one that _hadn't_ been destroyed last night. Across from him was a small Candlemon. "I'm no coward…unlike _you_, Etemon."

"_Excuse_ me?! What the hell did you just called me?!" I shouted. "Go on! Say it again! Say it to my face!"

"I called you a coward," Meramon said in a darker, but still unnervingly calm, tone of voice. "Unlike _you_, I don't find it necessary to destroy other people's homes from the safety of my own home. Unlike _you_, I don't use whatever power I may have to endanger the lives of others as a means for entertainment. And unlike _you_, I do _not_ murder innocent children simply because I am able to do so." The tall Champion level stood up and began walking over to his old saloon, gazing at it in a wistful manner. "You think that, just because you have a lot of power, you and your cronies can bully others into doing whatever the hell it is that you want them to."

"So, what? If it's something that can be stopped, then just try to stop it!" I yelled.

"See, _that's_ your problem, Etemon," Meramon said. "Bandits like you don't know when to talk and when to fight. _Now_ is a good time to talk." I clenched my fist in anger, observing Meramon as he spoke; not once had he looked over at me. "On the other hand…it's also a good time to fight. You need to pay for what you did to my little brother, Etemon! Fire Blast!"

"That's not going to work, idiot!" As Meramon began running towards me, with his arms spread out and the flames covering his body blazing furiously, I leapt up and punched the Champion level in the face, knocking him down.

"Big brother!" Candlemon jumped out of his chair and started hopping over to Meramon.

"No…Candlemon, stay away!" Meramon said. I walked over to the fallen Digimon and bent down.

"Well? _Now_ who's the coward here, huh? 'Cause it sure don't look like me," I whispered.

"Fire Fist!" Without hesitation, Meramon retaliated and hit me in the face.

"Bastard!" I reached down and grabbed the Champion Digimon by the neck and hoisted him into the air. "You're _dead_!"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

_We're almost there, Meramon…please; don't let us be too late!_ As we neared the end of an alley, Statuedramon unexpectedly stopped and looked around the corner.

"Thomas, I found him!" Statuedramon whispered, pointing to Etemon. "He's got Meramon by the neck; should we help him?"

"If you mean Meramon, the answer is yes," I said, drawing my sword. "This is how we earn our pay…after…all…" Statuedramon was not there to listen, as usual; he had run yelling out of the alley, holding up his sword.

"Sword of Dragon's Soul!" Statuedramon fired a transparent, sword-shaped projection from his sword that, when it hit Etemon's back, exploded on impact.

"…So…you managed to escape," Etemon said, turning around and dropping Meramon to the ground. Gasping for air, he was helped off the ground by his little brother.

"Meramon, are you okay?" Zelda asked as we caught up with Statch.

"You…saved me…" Meramon coughed. "Even though I didn't deserve to be saved…I…I don't know what to say…"

"We'll be fulfilling your request now," I said. "Etemon _will_ die. That, I promise."

"…Thank you," Meramon said. "I'll help you in any way I can."

"You figured out that I'm a bandit pretty quickly; _too_ quickly. How'd you know?" Etemon asked.

"You have a terrible poker face, Etemon; I knew as soon as I told you why I was in this village," I said. "And now…it's time for you to die."

Etemon began to laugh. "Come, now; do you really think you could kill _me_?!" Etemon asked, laughing harder. "You say you've killed many Digimon, but you're only a Human! You _must_ be joking!"

"There is no other option; as soon as the order is given, it must be carried out." I held up my sword and aimed it at Etemon's chest. "And my orders are to ensure that you die. Nothing more, and nothing less."

"Don't be ridiculous; there isn't a Human around who's strong enough to defeat _me_! Or a Digimon, for that matter! Dark Network!"

"Statch, get ready!" I shouted as Etemon prepared his attack. Statch nodded and ran in front of me, holding up his shield.

"Dimensional Shield!" The design resembling a mouth on Statch's shield opened up just as Etemon's Dark Network impacted; however, instead of dispersing, the sphere was swallowed by the mouth on his shield until it was completely out of sight. "Sword of Dragon's Soul!" Statuedramon pointed his sword skyward, and it began to glow black. He then swung his sword at Etemon, firing yet another projectile, this time a black one, at Etemon.

"Fireball!" Meramon hurled a fireball at Etemon, which struck him in the chest simultaneously with Statuedramon's attack; the combined strength of the two attacks caused him to fall to the ground on his back.

"What the hell…was that?" Etemon was breathing heavily, and he tried to pick himself up off the ground.

"My shield is able to absorb the attack of any Digimon; then, based on the attack I absorbed, I am able to change my sword attack's element to that of the attack I just absorbed," Statuedramon swung his sword once more, firing yet another attack at Etemon. However, the Ultimate leaped off the ground and avoided the attack at the last second.

"Wow, you must be invincible," Zelda said breathlessly as Meramon threw another fireball at Etemon, knocking him to the ground once again.

"Yeah, I _am _pretty amazing," Statuedramon said.

"And oh so modest," I added. Statch laughed sarcastically.

"Well, I guess there are a _few_ things I can't deal with; for example, I am unable to absorb any physical or melee attacks, like Giromon's chainsaw attack. Also, I'm pretty slow with all this armor on, so I have a lot of trouble dealing with enemies that are fast." I smirked as he said this.

_Good…now, Etemon will probably think…_

"Enemies that are fast, you say? Well, why the hell didn't you say so earlier?!" Etemon jumped back to his feet and began running toward Statch, his claws extended. In spite of this, Statch closed his eyes.

_That's my cue!_ I thought, smiling as I ran up to and stabbed Etemon, thrusting my sword into Etemon's right arm, which the Ultimate Digimon clutched in pain as blood came gushing from the gaping wound. Immediately, I pulled my sword out and wiped the blood off so as not to stain the blade with that filth's blood.

"Fast Digimon usually don't have the best defense," Statuedramon explained.

"How?! How could a Human be strong enough to hurt me?!" Etemon asked as the blood flooded from his arm faster and faster with each passing second.

"It's because you're weak, Etemon," Meramon scowled at Etemon, standing behind him with his brother, Candlemon. "You're so weak, you find it necessary to take the lives of those weaker than you in a pitiful and failed attempt to prove that you are strong. You're pathetic."

"How DARE _you_ of all Digimon call me weak?! Dark Network!" Etemon aimed and fired his attack at the two Flame Digimon.

"Oh, shit, I'm not going to make it in time!" Statuedramon ran frantically over to Candlemon and Meramon, but Etemon had already attacked; there was no way Statch would have made it in time.

"Come forth, Gallantmon! Cross over from the other realm and protect these innocent souls!" I turned around and saw Zelda holding a Talisman high above her head, and instantly, the form of Gallantmon appeared before Candlemon and Meramon. Etemon's attack collided with Gallantmon's shield, and it instantly dissipated. "Are you two okay?" Zelda called out to the two Digimon.

"You…protected us…" Meramon said, staring at Zelda. "Even after everything I said to you the other day…I didn't deserve to have my life be saved by you, but you did anyway…"

"Well, I'm glad the two of you are safe," Zelda replied, smiling sweetly.

"What the hell is this…_thing_?" Gallantmon asked. Etemon's mouth hung agape as the tall Mega Digimon looked down at him with a disdainful sneer. "You can't honestly expect me to dirty my beautiful lance with the blood of this garbage!"

"If you don't wish to fight, you may return home, if you'd like," Zelda said, holding up Gallantmon's Talisman. Without another word, Gallantmon faded away into nothingness. The talisman in Zelda's hand flashed brightly for a moment. Etemon continued to stare at the spot where Gallantmon had stood, his mouth still agape and his arm still bleeding.

"You really ARE weak; Fireball!" Meramon hurled a fireball at Etemon, but the Ultimate was able to dodge it at the last second. Meramon threw more fireballs, but Etemon easily dodged all of them.

"Meramon!" The Champion Digimon glanced over at Statuedramon as the Rookie held up his shield. "Over here!"

"Fireball!"

"Dimensional Shield!" Once again, the mouth on Statuedramon's shield opened up, swallowing Meramon's flame attack. "Sword of Dragon's Soul!" This time, his sword began to glow red, and when he swung it, his attack was red and covered in flames as it struck Etemon and engulfed him in flames. Etemon then fell to the ground and began rolling around in a vain attempt to smother the flames. I jumped up and landed on Etemon. Both my feet pinned the Digimon's arms to the ground.

"Your end has come," I said in a calm voice, forcefully thrusting my blade into Etemon's chest. Etemon briefly raised his arm and wrapped his hand around my blade, and I watched as first his fingers, then his hand, and then the rest of his body, dissolve into small bits of data. His screaming came to an abrupt stop, the flames suddenly subsiding as Etemon died. "Mission accomplished."

"Yep; now all we have to worry about is the boss yelling at us for taking too long," Statuedramon said. Meramon stood, staring blankly at the spot where Etemon had died.

"I can't believe it," he said. "I can't believe that monster is finally gone…" Meramon turned to look at me. "And you…you kept your promise…"

"Of course; I was ordered to murder Etemon, anyway," I shrugged.

"And you…" Meramon turned to Zelda. "Even after all those things I said to you the other day, you still protected me and my little brother. I don't know what to say, though I'm sure a simple apology or thanks wouldn't suffice."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that; I'm happy I was able to help you," Zelda said. "And you don't need to apologize; I was never mad at you."

"Well, anyway, thank you; I owe you my life for the kindness you've shown to me and Candlemon," Meramon said. Turning to me, he asked, "What are you going to do now? Now that Etemon's been defeated…"

"We've no more business here. We need to leave as soon as possible; though he says he doesn't mind, my superior officer expects the members of our guild to return as soon as they finish a mission," I said. Turning to look off into the distance, to the North, I said, "If there's ever any more trouble in this village, don't hesitate to contact us. Our base of operations is in an old, abandoned fortress in the Province of Celosia, in a forest on the borders of Valencia Territory and Lotisea Province."

"Yes…I'll do that, though I hope I won't have to," Meramon said, smiling as the three of us walked off. "Goodbye, and thanks again!"

"We're leaving so soon?" Statuedramon asked.

"It's still early in the morning. If we hurry, we might be able to reach the Eastern Province by moonrise. We'll have to travel through the desert at its hottest point, but…"

"Hmm…I guess that's preferable to angering the boss," Statuedramon mused.

"…What kind of person is your boss?" Zelda asked nervously.

"Uh…it's kind of hard to describe him," Statch said. "He's a Digimon, though. That's, uh…about all I know…"

"It's very difficult to tell what he's thinking," I added. "Nobody's ever seen him mad, though, except for our lieutenant…She has advised us many times to not do anything that would anger him."

"And it's…okay that I'm going with you, right?" Zelda asked.

"You need to find your sister, right? Of course it's okay," I said, turning around to give her a reassuring smile. She gave me a shy smile back, and the three of us continued on our way.


	11. Red-Eyed Glare

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Cyprus Desert**

Several hours had passed since our departure from Linnea. During that time, there was absolutely no change in the scenery—a common occurrence in the desert, from what I have observed. I looked down at Statuedramon, who was holding an upside-down map of the Arcadia continent.

"Ok…According to this map that I…_found_…the quickest way to get back to Celosia Province is to cut through this small city up ahead," Statuedramon said. I took the map from his hands and flipped it around before returning it to him. "Thanks, buddy. The city's name is Cyclamen, and it's about half a mile away." I stopped walking. "What's up, buddy? Something wrong?"

"You said the city's name was…Cyclamen?"

"Unless the map is wrong, yeah, but I stole — er, found it in a store back in Caladium Village, so I don't think it would be wrong."

"…Is there any other way to quickly return to base?" I asked. "One that doesn't involve us going through Cyclamen?"

"Well, if we go around it, either way, we'd have to go through Yew," Statuedramon said. "We could do that, but it'd take us a lot longer, and I don't think either of us wants to go _there_."

"…Yeah…" I stared down at the map in the short Digimon's hands. Even just reading the name of that city made me feel ill. _Cyclamen…of all the places…Why'd we have to end up there?_

"Are you okay, Thomas?" Zelda asked.

"We don't have to go there if you don't want to," Statch said. "I'm just saying if we take any longer, that might make the boss mad…maybe…"

"…Let's…go through Cyclamen, but we need to get out of there as soon as possible." Statch nodded, placing the map inside the separate dimension his shield, and we continued walking.

"Is there a reason you don't want to go there? Because we don't have to go if you really don't want to," Zelda whispered to me.

"…Cyclamen City…was the city where I was born," I said. "The people who live there…They're evil."

"Evil? But…_you_ aren't…"

"The citizens of Cyclamen aren't bandits themselves," I continued, staring straight down at my feet as I trudged through the sand. "They're pretty close, though; they're the kind of people who would turn in their parents for some paltry sum of florin. They might try to act nice, and friendly, but that's only because they want something from you, and it's usually money or…" I glanced at the young woman. She was looking up at me with interest. "…other services."

"…Oh…"

"They'll do anything, no matter how devious or how forceful, in order to get what they want. They are a rude and tactless, mock civilization of thieves and liars. That was why I decided to leave when I was only five years old — not very long after both of my parents were killed in the streets over only a little bit of money. That was when I was found by a woman named Victoria; she took me in and raised me like I was her own child, and she was the woman who taught me how to use a sword. I haven't been to Cyclamen ever since, and I'm glad I haven't."

"Maybe we shouldn't go," Zelda said. "If they're as bad as you say they are, then—"

"I'd rather not slow us down because of something I'd rather not do," I said. "If anybody recognizes me, we might be kept there longer than I'd like."

"I don't understand…"

"You will. Unfortunately, I'm almost certain you will."

* * *

**Cyclamen City**

It had taken us over an hour to reach Cyclamen City — Statuedramon had misjudged our distance from the city, having read the map upside down — and by that time, it was getting close to sundown. To my displeasure, the streets were packed with Humans and Digimon. In that regard, the city hasn't changed. We had unfortunately found our way in a rather large crowd; not large enough for us to get lost, though just small enough for someone to notice us.

"Let's make this quick," I said. "The street we're on should lead us straight out of this city."

"Thomas, can we stop and eat?" Statuedramon asked. "We haven't eaten all day…"

"No. We continue onwards. If we keep going, we'll reach a small village called Primrose before midnight. We can eat there."

"I'm kind of hungry, too," Zelda said quietly.

"…Well…I guess if we had to…we could…find a place to eat here," I said.

"Oh, _sure_! When your _best friend_ in the whole wide world suggests it, it's a big fat 'no,'" Statch grumbled. "But when the _cute girl_ mentions it, he's all fucking over the idea…"

"I—I don't want to be an inconvenience to you, though!" Zelda added, looking and sounding flustered. "I've gone for several days in a row without eating, so…so I can keep going if you don't want to stop…"

"Days, huh?" I looked back at her. _I guess that explains why she looks so…so gaunt!_ "…Listen, Zelda. I don't know what kind of life you've had before you decided to join our guild, but when you're working with us, you eat whenever you get hungry. Okay?" Behind me, I could hear Statuedramon repeating my every word in a mocking tone of voice, though I did my best to ignore him.

"…Thank you, Thomas. I really appreciate that," Zelda smiled.

"How come _I_ don't get to eat whenever _I_ want?!" Statch asked.

"Because if _you_ did, the entire continent would run out of food."

"…Yeah, you're probably right…"

"Now, let's keep moving before anyone here notices—"

"Well, what do we have here?" My heart sank upon hearing a new voice from behind me, and I quickly grabbed Zelda's and Statch's hands when I saw that a middle-aged man had approached us.

"C'mon, let's go."

"Yeah, I _thought_ I recognized you!" the man said. "Yer that kid who left us 'bout ten years ago, right? What're you doing back here? Decided you wanted to come back to us?" I glared at the man. I recognized him instantly, and his appearance sent a chill down my spine. I could not recall his name, or if I ever knew it in the first place. Not that I cared, and I was certain I never even bothered to learn it, not after what he did. But that was not why I was surprised. His eyes were red. Not red with exhaustion, but red irises. Yes, red was a common eye color, as I've noticed in my travels, but his eyes…it could've just been my imagination, but they almost looked as though they were glowing. "Well?"

"…I do not wish to speak to you," I replied. The memory of what he did was playing vividly over and over again in my mind. What he had done did not surprise me; it was to be expected of the people who lived in this city.

"Look, kid, if this is about what I did to yer parents all those years ago, I told you before; I'm _not_ sorry," the man said. "They owed me money. Money they didn't have, clearly."

"The fact that you murdered them means nothing to me," I said. I heard Zelda gasp my name in surprise. "They were just like you. They only cared for themselves…not even their own child."

"Dude…you never told me about _that_," Statuedramon said quietly.

"If you ain't pissed about yer parents gettin' killed, then why'd you leave?" the man asked. I turned away from the man, joining my friends.

"…My job."

"A job? _You_?! What could a little puss like _you_ do?!" the man began laughing, as did a few passersby who had happened to hear our conversation.

"Please, don't any of you recognize him?" a woman's voice asked, sounding somewhat annoyed and amused at the same time. I turned to see who had spoken, seeing a young woman with long, blonde hair. "Thomas Kasuto is a professional assassin; you idiots would all do well to remember that he isn't exactly the kind of person you'd want..._displeased_ with you."

"Abigail," the woman's name instantly popped into my head. _Abigail…that _was_ her! But how could she have known about my work…wait, where did she go?_ I looked around the crowd, which increased in size by the minute, in search of Abigail, but she was nowhere to be seen. _Abigail...I still need to apologize to you, don't I...It's been about thirteen years since I left—_

"Ooh, pardon me, Mr. Killer," a stranger said sarcastically, laughing. "You here to kill us?"

_I wish…_

"Nah, I'd bet he's too much of a puss to touch a weapon," another person said.

"So, what are you doing here? Come here for old times' sake?"

"Why did you even leave in the first place?" the first man asked. I looked around at the other nameless individuals who had decided to join him. Like him, their eyes were red.

"Surely you know," I said.

"No, I don't," the man said. "But then, I don't care. Why did you come back?"

"…Everyone here…they…"

"They aren't as evil as you might think them to be, my child," said a voice from behind me.

"Father Sephyrus," the man said.

"You lead a busy life, don't you? Here one minute, there the next," the man called Sephyrus said to me. His raven hair was long, falling past his shoulders, and he was dressed in black priest's robes. He had a serene and delicate appearance, and I almost mistook him for a woman. His voice had a similar serenity and calmness to it. "If it is your wish, I could escort you to the edge of town so you can continue on your way."

"…I would appreciate that, sir," I said.

"Jeez, you're so much nicer than those guys back there," Statch said.

"And you don't smell like beer," Zelda whispered. Father Sephyrus laughed, and looked at me.

"Is there a problem, my child?" he asked.

"Oh…forgive me, sir, but I… I don't recall there being a church of any kind when I was here last," I said.

"You've been gone for thirteen years, Thomas; our church, run by Father MagnaAngemon, was built roughly six years ago," Sephyrus replied. "Change is like that; it can happen in the blink of an eye…or over the course of a lifetime."

"Why would there be a church in a town of thieves and murderers?" Statch asked.

"For precisely that reason," Sephyrus said. "It has been the mission of Father MagnaAngemon and me to lead these poor souls away from a life of sin. To you, Thomas, they may seem worse than they did thirteen years ago, but the two of us have made a vast improvement on their personalities, not to mention their souls and state of being."

"Wow, they must've been terrible before, then," Statuedramon said.

"Yes; though the results are always worth it, it hasn't exactly been easy working with them," Sephyrus said, laughing. As we walked past a large and ornate building, much finer in appearance than the other run-down houses in the city, Sephyrus stopped walking, and looked up at it with a smile on his face. "But at the end of the day…there's nothing else I'd rather be doing. This church may have taken many years to complete, but it was worth it."

"…Father Sephyrus. Is Father MagnaAngemon still here? There's something I'd like to ask him," I said.

"Certainly, my child. MagnaAngemon's doors are always open, so that he may aid any in need," Sephyrus said. The priest opened the large front doors of the church, and followed us in. The doors slammed shut with a loud, ancient creak afterwards. We were directed by him through a short hallway into the nave of the church, were dozens of rows of cushioned pews filled the room and lined the walls. "Larraine? Where are you, child?" A young girl's head popped up from the middle of the pews. When she saw Sephyrus, her face brightened, and she ran up to him. She appeared to be no older than ten, with hair as blue as the sky running down to her shoulders. She wore a small and simple white dress, patched-together and worn out. Sephyrus knelt down before her, and placed a hand over her small shoulder. "Sweet child, could I ask you to find Father MagnaAngemon for me?" The girl nodded and ran off, smiling happily all the way.

"She's so _cute_!" Zelda said.

"I'm afraid that poor child is an orphan, my dear," Sephyrus said, standing back up. "Her father walked out on her before her mother even knew she was pregnant, and just a few months ago, her poor ailing mother passed. This church is home to many who have been placed in a similar predicament."

"What?! Well, where the hell is her stupid father?! I'm gonna kick his stupid bitch ass!" Statuedramon yelled. His booming voice echoed through the entire room.

"…We do not know where he might be right now," Sephyrus said. His indifference to Statch's outburst caught my immediate attention. "You may rest here if you'd like. I will try to find Father MagnaAngemon for you." The priest bowed politely to us, and left the nave.

* * *

**MagnaAngemon**

"…and that's all I have to report," the Vilemon standing before me said. As I sat at the desk in my office, I looked up at the small Digimon. Accompanying him were three DemiDevimon.

"That's _all_ you have to report?!" I asked. "What good does the presence of a boy who hasn't been here for thirteen years do for me?!"

"We're sorry, boss; but that's all we were able to discover," one of the DemiDevimon said. "We thought he might have a lot of that stuff you told us about; you know, the stuff with the name that's hard to pronounce!"

"Oh, shut up!" I drew my sword, Excalibur, and stabbed it into the middle of the DemiDevimon's forehead, instantly killing the small Rookie. The three other Evil Digimon gave me a frightened look as I wiped their friend's blood off my sword. "I decide who we gather it from, because _I_ am the one in charge; not you, not Sephyrus, but ME. Got that?!" The three Digimon, though trembling with fear, nodded quickly. "Now, get out of my sight!" Vilemon and the DemiDevimon jumped when I screamed, and flew out through an open window just as I heard a small knock on my door. "Yes, who is it?" I asked, hoping I sounded calm. I opened the door and saw Larraine standing. I smiled. "Larraine…what can I do for you?"

"Mr. Sephyrus is back, and he told me that he wants to talk to you," Larraine said.

"Does he, now? Well, I'll go see what he wants, then. Thank you, Larraine," I said. The child beamed at me as I left my room and walked down a hallway. _Damn it, why did I design this place with so many hallways and rooms?! I can never remember where Sephyrus's office is!_

"I'm right here, MagnaAngemon." Sephyrus's voice came from behind me, and I turned around to see him walking out of one of the many rooms lining the hallway.

"What do you want, Sephyrus?" I asked. "I told you earlier this morning; I don't have time to waste on these useless idiots—"

"He's here," Sephyrus interrupted.

"Who?"

"The boy we've been following. His name is Thomas Kasuto."

"The boy who hasn't been here in thirteen years?" Sephyrus nodded. "My Vilemon and DemiDevimon already told me about him; what good does his presence do for us?"

"Our lady believes he has grown quite powerful in the short time he's been with that mercenary guild," Sephyrus said. "If he grows any stronger, the lady fears it will be nigh impossible to defeat him and his friends."

"So, that's where I come in, right?" I asked. Sephyrus nodded.

"Go, now; they await your arrival in the nave," Sephyrus said. "Go on, now; do your job."

"All right, listen up; just because _she_ likes you more does _not_ mean you get to boss me around!" I shouted. "While we are in this city, _I_ am in charge; got it?! _I_ give the orders, not _you_!"

Sephyrus stared at me, neither angry nor surprised. The look in his eyes made me angrier; it was almost as if he were mocking me! "I understand," Sephyrus said. If anything, his tone of voice was even more mocking than the look in his eyes. It was infuriating! "So, what will we do?"

"…They…requested to see me, correct?" I asked. "I will…speak with them. But not because _you_ told me to; because our lady wishes for it to be done; got it?!" I turned away from Sephyrus and began walking toward the nave, with Sephyrus following me.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

We had been waiting for several minutes inside the church in the large, vacant nave Sephyrus had left us in. Zelda and I sat next to each other on the pews, while Statch lay on his back several feet from us, looking up at the undecorated ceiling. A small breeze from an open window wafted indoors, taking the notice away from the leathery smell of old books and the scent of a freshly burnt out set of candles.

"Thomas, what made you decide to visit this church?" Statuedramon asked, breaking the silence.

"I'm not sure, really; did either of you notice something…odd about the eyes of the people here?" I asked, but both Zelda and Statch shook their heads. "Their eyes…they looked like they were shining…and deep crimson. It was probably just my imagination, but…"

"What's wrong with that?" Statch asked. "Red is a normal eye color; hell, _I've _got red eyes — or, _a_ red eye, at least — but I've never heard you complaining."

"…I've heard legends of an evil Digimon, one that had once been an angel before falling to darkness. It is said that Digimon is able to completely mind control anyone who stares into his deep crimson eyes, and the eyes of his victims take on a similar glow."

"If he's only spoken of in legends, then he isn't real, is he?" Statch asked.

"Not necessarily; the two of us have seen plenty of Digimon that were supposed to be only a legend," I said. "Remember when we found that Deckerdramon in Lotisea Province?"

"So, what kind of Digimon do you think we're dealing with?" Zelda asked.

"I think his name was—" Before I could finish, a large pair of ornately decorated doors swung open.

"Thomas, Father MagnaAngemon is here," Sephyrus said as a tall Digimon approached the three of us. Sephyrus then left the room, closing the doors behind him.

"So, you're the lad who left this city thirteen years ago," MagnaAngemon said, smiling gently. "It's wonderful to finally meet you. Is there anything I might be able to do for you?"

"Yes, actually, there is," I said, eyeing MagnaAngemon's right wrist. The tip of the sword equipped to his right arm was stained with fresh blood, but something else caught my eye. "Why don't you tell us who you really are?" MagnaAngemon tilted his head slightly in confusion.

"I don't understand what you mean; my name is MagnaAngemon, and I—"

"No, you aren't," I interrupted quickly. "A real MagnaAngemon…wears a Holy Ring on his right wrist." MagnaAngemon bit his lower lip, clenching his fist in anger, but he soon began to laugh.

"I've been here for six years and six months, and not one person in this damned town was smart enough to notice that one simple detail; two seconds after talking to you, and you can already tell!" MagnaAngemon laughed louder and more maniacally. It reminded me of Gallantmon when he was attacking the Minotarumon.

"I'll only ask one more time; who are you?!" I asked as I removed my sword from its scabbard.

"Thomas, calm down! So what if he doesn't have a ring? What difference does it make?" Statuedramon asked.

"A Digimon that normally wears a Holy Ring is able to do so because they themselves are holy," I said. "A Digimon that has lost its ring has — more often than not — fallen from grace and descended into darkness."

"Yes, that's a fairly accurate explanation of what happened to me!" MagnaAngemon said as he became enveloped in shadows. "Well, since you know my secret, Thomas, I can't allow you to leave this city alive, but at least allow me to show you something interesting before I kill you! MagnaAngemon, Slide Evolution, Devimon!"

"That…That's him!" I said. "Devimon is the Digimon I was telling you about!"

"What's Slide Evolution? I've never heard of that!" Statuedramon exclaimed.

"Oh, you won't need to worry about the details of it," Devimon said, towering over all of us, being much taller than he was when he was MagnaAngemon. "I'll be sending you all to a much nicer place than this city! You should really be thanking me for that!"

"So, you're the reason everyone in this city has glowing red eyes; as I've said, those who stare into the eyes of a Devimon are mind-controlled and completely dominated by them," I said. Devimon grinned, baring his sharp fangs. "But why are you here? What purpose does mind-controlling the people in this city serve for you? Certainly, there are cities with more…tolerable people."

"You don't need to know; after all, soon, you shall all be—" as he was talking, Devimon failed to notice me as I ran up to him and pierced his shoulder with my blade. Devimon screamed in pain as he tried, in vain, to shake me off.

"Tell me what I want to know," I said calmly, twisting the blade inside the gristle of his shoulder. "Tell me, and the pain ends."

"I—I'm only working for someone," Devimon said quickly, struggling to breathe as he attempted to pull my sword out of his bleeding shoulder. "I…I don't even know her name…she just told me to find something called 'quintessence' from strong Humans and Digimon for her! I just took control of all the Humans and Digimon here to help me search for some of that quintessence stuff! I don't know anything about it!" After a moment, I quickly pulled my sword from Devimon's shoulder and neatly wiped the blood off. Devimon tightly gripped his shoulder as he looked around the room, hoping to find something to stop the bleeding.

"Come on, Statch; let's go," I said.

"Where are we going?" Statuedramon asked as he and Zelda ran after me.

"Back to Celosia Province; there's no point in staying here anymore." I slid my sword back into its scabbard.

"Is that a good idea? What about—"

"Let's go. The boss is waiting."

* * *

**Devimon**

"Damn that…bastard…" My breathing was starting to grow more and more labored, and my head was getting dizzy from all the blood I had lost, so I sat down to rest on one of the pews. "I can't…die here…" With a tremendous effort, I forced myself to stand back up. "Need to…finish the job…"

"Oh, that won't be necessary," a woman's voice came from a far corner of the room I was in, though the owner of the voice was hidden amongst the shadows.

"Who are…you?" I asked.

"I'm just here to let you know that the Lady doesn't have any more use for you," she said.

"WHAT?! How can…that be? I've been here for…six years…for…"

"Yes, yes, six years, six months, and six days; I'm well aware of that," the woman's voice grew more impatient. I staggered over to the shadow where the voice came from to see if I could tell who was talking, but the shadow was too dark for me to see through.

"Who are you?!" I asked again.

"To use your words; you don't need to know the details. I'll be sending you to a much nicer place than this city. You should really be thanking me!"

"Shut up! Nobody tells me what to do!" As I thrust my claw towards the shadow, a long black spear emerged from the darkness and stabbed me in the chest. Then all went dark around me.

"All those who are useless to the Lady…they will share your fate."

Her voice was the last thing I heard.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Cyprus Desert**

**10 Minutes**

"Thomas…what should we do about Devimon?" Zelda asked. "Is it really okay that we left him alone like that? What if he does something?"

"…I don't know what quintessence is," I said. "I need to ask my superior officer about it before I decide what to do. If I learn it's something…dangerous, I will return."

"We should get to sleep," Statuedramon said. "Our base of operations is about ten hours away from where we are now, so by the time we get there, it'll be close to sundown if we leave here in the morning."


	12. Lachesis

**A/N: **Sorry I'm so late with this one! I'm trying to keep the uploading to Mondays, but it doesn't always work out that way for me, unfortunately. Anyway, this is it! This is the chapter where the three heroes return home, and you are introduced to the other members of the mercenary organization! I hope you enjoy it, and please feel free to leave a review if you wish :)

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

** Valencia Territory, Celosia Province **

**Towards the End of the Following Day**

It had been a long journey, one that had taken longer than anticipated, due to our delay in Cyclamen City and the large distance between that city and our destination, but we were finally almost home. Fortunately, the sun was still out, so finding our way to the base wouldn't be too difficult.

"We're almost there," I said, looking over at Zelda. "Our base lies in a clearing in the middle of this forest." She hadn't said much since we left Cyprus Province, though now that we were getting closer and closer to our base, she looked very happy. She hadn't been able to stop smiling all day…not that I was complaining; she had a very lovely smile.

"Are we there yet?" Statuedramon asked for about the fifth time that minute. I smiled.

"Yes, we're here." I said. The three of us found a large opening in the trees, through which we left the forest to find a rather old-looking brick fortress, three stories tall and covered in ivy and other kinds of plants that I did not know the name for. The fortress stood in the middle of a large clearing in the forest, completely devoid of trees, as I said. "This is it, Zelda; welcome to Lachesis. It's not much to look at, but it is home to every one of us."

"I think it looks wonderful," Zelda said, gazing at the fortress with a smile on her face. "I can't wait to meet everybody!"

"There are only twelve of us here now," Statuedramon said. "Well, thirteen, if we include you, Zelda; seven humans and six Digimon."

"…Unlucky thirteen," Zelda said. She laughed quietly to herself, though for the first time today, she almost looked sad.

"You okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine…Just a little nervous about meeting the others, now that I'm actually here."

"You'll be fine; you're with _us_!" Statch said.

"…Is this about what the Digimon in Linnea said to you?" I whispered.

"It's nothing…I'm okay," Zelda said quietly. "Let's just go in and meet everyone, okay? I'm really excited!"

"Well, come on in, then! There's nothing to be afraid of!" Statuedramon said, running into the old fort. Hesitantly, Zelda followed, and I went in last. It took us all only a few seconds to reach the large, central room of the fort. It was filled with tables, chairs, and couches, a few of which were occupied. The walls, like the fort's exterior, were brick, but the floor was wood, as were the tables and chairs.

"This is Lachesis's lounge room; this is where everyone eats and relaxes while they're not on a mission," I said.

"And that's the kitchen, way in the back!" Statch exclaimed. "Our boss cooks some of the best food I've ever eaten! It's even better than the stuff we had at Etemon's castle!"

"So, you've both returned. Welcome back." I looked to my left and saw a woman, elegant and incredibly beautiful, sitting at a table while gazing at us with eyes of shimmering gold. Her black robes, outlined in a deep violet that matched her hair, contrasted well with her pale and fair complexion, and though they were rather loose, they did well in showing her curvaceous and well-endowed figure. "You certainly took a lot longer to finish that job than even _I_ thought you would."

"We had to go all the way to the desert," Statch said. "Those rumors we heard about our target being in Paeonia were false, but we were able to find him in Linnea Village. To save time, we had to cut through Cyclamen City so we wouldn't have to go through Yew."

"Then that's _twice_ the incentive to celebrate your return, having visited the so-called desert of death," the woman said. "Oh, and what's this? You've brought such a cute guest with you. What's your name, dear?"

"Oh, I'm Zelda, ma'am."

"Zelda, this is Bellaluna Rosalina," I said. "She's our, uh…potion brewer."

"You can say it, Thomas. I'm the 'Witch,'" Bellaluna whispered seductively. "I make potions; I cast spells…that sort of thing. Also, call me Luna. _I insist._"

"Yeah, she insists," Statuedramon said. "She turned me into a Numemon once for calling her by her full name."

"Don't frighten the poor girl, Statuedramon; I'm not a monster!" Luna said, turning to look at Zelda. "Goodness, dear! You look so…so _skinny_! Are you okay? You're not sick, are you? Haven't you been feeding her, Thomas?! She's practically skin and bones!"

"No, I'm fine," Zelda whispered, blushing slightly. "I'm fine…really…"

"Well, if you say so, dear. What brings you here?"

"Um…Thomas and Statuedramon told me…" She looked down at the ground and mumbled a few words quietly.

"She wants to join us," Statch said. The blush in Zelda's face reddened.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Luna exclaimed. "We're always happy to get new members, dear, so you don't need to be so nervous!"

"Yes ma'am. I'll…try," Zelda said.

"So, why'd you decide to join us? Did Thomas knock you up or something?" Luna asked. "No, your belly isn't round…Did he maybe—"

"Luna, please; I am _not_ Garret," I said before Luna could finish her sentence.

"Aw, I know you would _never_ do anything so _naughty_, handsome," Luna giggled. "Garret, maybe, but definitely not you."

"And just what the hell 's _that_ supposed to mean, witch?!" a gruff, angry voice shouted from the lounge area of the room. A large man, blond and beady-eyed, got off a couch, followed by a Digimon, and walked over to Luna, giving her a spiteful glare. His large arms were crossed over his burly chest.

"Nothing much, really; it just means that Thomas is a perfect gentleman, while _you_, Garret, are a perfect example of someone nobody should ever idolize," Luna said, laughing coyly.

"Meaning you're a complete ass, Garret," Statch added.

"Yeah, yeah, I gots it; I's a total jackass; try tellin' me something I _don't_ know," Garret said.

"Oh, come now, everyone; there isn't any need to be so hard on Master Garret," a Digimon standing next to Garret said. The way he spoke made him sound almost like he was Garret's butler.

"MetalEtemon, why do you kiss up to that ass?" Statuedramon asked. "You're a nice guy; you should have a better 'master' than Garret!"

"I'll say nothing on your choice of Human partners, and I'd like it if you'd say nothing on mine," MetalEtemon said sternly.

"And just what the hell does _that_ mean?!" Statuedramon yelled angrily. "I'll have you know that Thomas is the best Human partner a Digimon could ask for, and is far superior to that pale bastard in every possible way!"

"Statuedramon!" Zelda exclaimed.

"No, dat's me nickname," Garret said, ignoring the fight between our Digimon. "'That pale bastard' is my nickname."

"…Oh."

"So, 're you a new recruit, Zelda?"

"Yes; it's a pleasure to meet all of you," Zelda said politely.

"Really? Wow…never heard _that_ from a broad before," Garret said. "So…anyway, I'm the 'Pillager,' and this is my partner, MetalEtemon, the 'Butler.'"

"What do you two do?" Zelda asked. Garret grinned, and glanced behind at MetalEtemon.

"I _looks_ like a bandit. I _talks_ like a bandit. And I fights like one. But here's the thing; I'm _not_ a bandit," Garret explained. "See, whenever our group goes and fights bandits, when we's part of a big group, I go to the bandits, and they thinks I'm one of them. Then, when they ain't lookin,' I swipes whatever dey gots to swipe; weapons, treasure, bystanders, you name it. I pillage from pillagers. That's my game. Clever, huh?"

"For you, yeah," Statuedramon agreed. MetalEtemon clenched his fist, but Garret shook his head. Shaking his head, the Mega level Digimon walked away.

"Well, I gots to go; MetalEtemon and me've gots a job to do," Garret said, beginning to walk away. "Have fun killin' people. _I_ always do."

"You don't have to worry about that," Luna said as she noticed a worried look on Zelda's face. "If killing isn't what you want to do, then nobody here will force you to." Zelda sighed with relief as Luna turned to look at me; more specifically, at my right arm, still covered in bandages from when Sealsdramon attacked me a few days ago. "So, what happened to you, handsome?"

"Oh, this? I was attacked from behind by a Sealsdramon," I said. "He didn't hit me very hard, but it's still kind of hard for me to move my arm a lot," I looked at my shoulder, at the blood-stained bandages wrapped around my arm. "I almost forgot I still had these bandages on."

"Is that why you've been wielding your sword left-handed?" Statuedramon asked.

"Well, I'm left-handed anyway, but my right arm is stronger," I said.

"Your blood…it is such a beautiful color…" Luna whispered seductively. To my surprise, she had managed to lift up my sleeve without my notice, and was staring intently at the bandages. She then reached over and grabbed my chin with her right hand, moving my head so that I was looking her right in the eyes. They were an eerie shade of gold, and yet they were extremely beautiful. "Your blood is precisely 1.5 shades lighter than average; a beautiful color," Luna whispered, her tongue slowly moving across her cherry-red lips. "I'm looking forward to the next time I'm fortunate enough to see such an exquisite color again..." Without warning, Luna bent over and kissed me on the lips. In all honesty, it was a very pleasant experience, and it seemed to finish as soon as it began. "Do be a dear and show me soon. You wouldn't want to keep me waiting; you should know that I hate being..._dissatisfied_..." Luna finally let go of me before walking off. "I hate to leave, but I also have a job to get ready for…" I dared not look over at Statuedramon, as I knew I was blushing profusely, and I knew he would comment on it.

"I had…no idea it was possible to like blood that much," Zelda said.

"It's kind of a fetish," Statuedramon said.

"Yeah, Luna's kind of weird like that," a small young girl standing beside me, donned in an overly large witch's hat, suddenly chimed in.

"Oh, hello, Chrysania; how long have you been standing there?" I asked, looking down at the shorter girl.

"Not very long," Chrysania said, smiling as wide as ever. "Are you the girl Chrissy heard everyone talking about? You're joining Lachesis, aren't you?"

"I certainly hope I'm allowed to; I don't exactly have a home to return to," Zelda said.

"Oh, wow, just like Chrissy!" Chrysania exclaimed. "It'll be nice to have a girl close to Chrissy's age for her to talk to; well, there's also Irene, but she's really shy, so she doesn't talk to Chrissy or anyone else very much." Zelda smiled as Chrysania spoke. "It's been a long time since anyone's joined Lachesis; who joined last?"

"That would have been Irene, a little over three years ago," I said.

"So, what do you do?" Zelda asked.

"Oh, Chrissy is a witch, like Luna! Chrissy is the 'Apprentice,' and she's also the youngest member of Lachesis!" Chrysania exclaimed. "Chrissy isn't very good at being a witch yet, but Luna's helping her get better so she can help out _all_ her good friends at Lachesis more! Chrissy is always making mistakes and dropping things and falling over, but Luna never gets mad at her for it! She's a great magic teacher, but she's an even better mommy!"

"Luna's your…mother?" Zelda asked. "She doesn't look old enough to have a daughter your age…"

"Oh, Luna isn't Chrissy's REAL mommy, but Chrissy doesn't have a real mommy, so Luna's pretending to be Chrissy's mommy instead!"

The expression on Zelda's face grew somewhat sadder upon hearing Chrysania's answer, but the small witch didn't seem to notice as she looked up at her.

"I hope you join; this is a great place to be!" Chrysania smiled at Zelda one last time before merrily skipping off after Luna.

"You don't need to be worried about whether the boss will accept you or not," I said, walking up to Zelda. "It's true, we don't have very many members here, but that's only because not many out there have heard of us, or are brave enough to do what we do. I'm sure you'll be accepted." As I spoke to her, a large, dark-skinned man walked up to us. He carried a huge axe single-handedly, and he was accompanied by a Digimon, like Garret.

"Yes, dare is no need to be concerned," the man said, speaking with a noticeably thick accent; however, in spite of this, he spoke clearly enough so we could all understand what he was saying. He held out a large hand, which Zelda shook as she introduced herself. "I am Pheragas Danved, de 'Rook'; I hope you find your time 'ere to be enjoyabull."

"And I'm Pheragas's partner Digimon, BlackGaomon the 'Fist!'" the small Digimon standing next to Pheragas said, also shaking Zelda's hand. "The two of us fight bandits head on, like Garret and MetalEtemon."

"Ve are too big to be sneaking around in dahkness like Thomas," Pheragas said. "Dare vould be not much difficulty finding me trying to sneak around, no?"

"Not really, no," Statuedramon laughed with the large man.

_The three of us could probably fit in that giant's hands…maybe just one…_I thought as Pheragas walked off. "That man…he's easily the strongest Human here," I said.

"I've seen him uproot a tree and snap it in half before," Statuedramon said. "With his bare hands; he didn't use that gigantic axe of his or anything!"

"Okay, I seriously doubt that he's ever done that, but I wouldn't be surprised if he'd be able to…" I turned my head, seeing two more members of Lachesis in a conversation on one of the couches. "Hey, SlashAngemon!" I called, and the two turned, smiling when they saw the three of us walk over to them.

"Welcome back, Thomas," SlashAngemon said. He and the girl he sat with stood up. "I take it your mission was successful?"

"Yeah, we killed that Etemon bandit leader, no problem!" Statuedramon boasted.

"Who might this be?" SlashAngemon asked.

"My name is Zelda; if I'm lucky, I'll be joining Lachesis…"

"I see; graciously do I welcome you here, Milady," SlashAngemon bowed at the waist. "I am SlashAngemon the 'Knight,' and this young lady is…" SlashAngemon looked beside him to see that the girl he had been speaking to was no longer there. He then looked behind himself and said, "There isn't any need to be shy, Irene; come greet our new friend." A petite girl, barely shorter than Zelda, with long, ebony hair that reached the middle of her back, came out slowly from behind SlashAngemon. "This here is Irene the 'Scout.'"

"…Nice to…meet you…" Irene said, speaking nervously and quietly. She was looking steadily down at the floor, and her hair obscured her face, though I was certain that she was blushing in embarrassment.

"Irene and I serve as scouts for Lachesis," SlashAngemon went on to say. "She's rather quick on her feet, and her natural quietness is quite helpful to the job. The two of us often go to the city of Yew, which is where we find job requests for all our members to do, in addition to food and groceries." Irene blushed while trying to hide her face in her long hair. "So, have you spoken to the boss yet?"

"Yeah, we were just about to go there," I said.

"Very well; I wish you luck," SlashAngemon said cryptically as we walked off. We walked out of the lounge room past the kitchen and entered a hallway with a rather large door at the end of the hall. Next to the door were two sets of stairways that led to the upper levels of the fort.

"Beyond that big door up ahead is the room where our leader usually stays," I said just as the door opened, and out walked a tall Digimon covered in white armor.

"Hello, Dianamon," Statch said.

"Thomas, welcome back," the tall Digimon said. "I'm happy to see you made it back in one piece."

"Hey, what about me?!" Statch yelled.

"Yes, you too, Statuedramon," Dianamon sighed, and then turned to Zelda. "And who might this young lady be?"

"Oh, this is Zelda," I said. "We were about to speak with the boss about letting her join us."

"Well, I hope all goes smoothly," Dianamon said. "All should go well in there. If there's anything you happen to need after being admitted, just come to me. I am Dianamon, the 'Queen.'" Zelda thanked Dianamon as the Mega Digimon walked off.

"Well, are you ready to meet him?" I asked. Zelda nodded slowly as I opened the door to our boss's room.


	13. The Knights Have Arrived

**Zelda**

**Lachesis HQ**

_None of the Digimon here seem to have…noticed._ This was the thought that barged its way into my mind every time I had gotten rid of it. _Or maybe they do? Or maybe their boss _will_ notice, and he won't let me join…Damn it, Zelda, you shouldn't have gotten your hopes up! Stupid, stupid, stupid—_

Thomas opened the large door and held it for me and Statuedramon to enter the headquarters. In spite of the withered and ancient appearance of the fortress, the door closed shut with a smooth but loud thud. The room was much smaller than the lounge area of the fortress, but still rather spacious, and nearly empty, save for a single bookcase crammed full of books, a desk, and a large bed lining the room's left wall where a tall Digimon I could only assume was their boss sat, looking at the three of us with interest. Directly across from the door was a large, closed window with a pair of ornately decorated curtains.

"We're back, boss," Statuedramon said.

"Statch, Statch, _Statch_! _Where_ is your sense of adventure?!" the Digimon asked. "You call me boss all the time! Try calling me—"

"I refuse to address you as 'Your Majesty,'" Statuedramon said dryly.

"Aww…"

"_Or_ 'You Highness!'"

"…Glad to see you both made it back," the large Digimon smiled at Thomas and Statuedramon. "Now, what took so long?"

"I apologize, sir; the rumors we heard about the bandit leader's whereabouts proved to be false," Thomas said. "We were able to find him, though; he had taken up residence in Linnea Village."

"It's all thanks to this young lady that we were able to do it," Statuedramon looked over at me as he spoke.

"A pleasure to meet you, Milady," the Digimon said, standing up. "I am Apollomon the 'King.'"

"Oh, no; I—I didn't really do that much," I said, nervously shaking the large Digimon's hand. I could feel myself blushing, which made me feel even more nervous.

"It might not seem that way to you, but really, you did a lot," Thomas said. "If you hadn't found us, we would have been killed by that Minotarumon for certain."

"And don't forget about Candlemon and Meramon," Statuedramon added. "If you hadn't summoned Gallantmon, Etemon would've killed them for sure!"

"Summoned?" Apollomon looked at me curiously. "Are you perchance…a Summoner?"

"Yes, sir," I said shyly. _Maybe…maybe he doesn't notice, after all…_ "And if it isn't a problem, Mr. Apollomon, sir, I would like to join your guild."

"…Tell me; why is it you wish to join us?" Apollomon asked.

"I'm looking for my sister," I replied. "We've been separated for over five years, and after traveling nearly all over Arcadia, I haven't found any sign of her. I thought maybe if I joined a guild like this one, where its members travel around a lot, I might be able to find her easier…"

"Sounds like you've been through a lot," Apollomon said.

"I…don't have any way of knowing if she's still alive or not," I said. "Please, sir…let me join your guild..."

"Okay." I looked up at the Mega Digimon, startled by his quick response. "You need help; it would be remiss of me to deny you that much, especially after all you've done to help out those two, and it's always nice to have someone like you, who unquestionably cares for her allies, join us."

"Th—Thank you, sir," I politely bowed toward Apollomon. "I promise; I'll do everything I can to be useful to you and your honorable guild!"

"Think nothing of it," the Mega Digimon said casually. "The reason our group exists is to help out others in need; now, get that memorized." I nodded. "Take that to heart, and never back down from a challenge, no matter how tough it may be to overcome. Always remember that real power comes from your heart, and is backed by an unwavering courage."

"Yes, sir."

"Now, is there anything you'd like me to do for you? Anything you need?" Apollomon asked.

"…No, sir. Not at the moment, sir."

"Very well, then. But don't hesitate to let me know if there's anything I can do for you, okay?" Zelda nodded. "My dear…I bid you welcome to Lachesis. Welcome, Zelda…the 'Bishop.'"

"Thank you very much, sir."

"It's not a problem at all," Apollomon smiled. "Statuedramon!"

"Yeah, what is it?" the Rookie asked.

"If you'd be so kind, could you escort this young lady to a suitable lodging?"

"Yes, sir," Statuedramon gave the larger Digimon a rather lazy salute.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

Statuedramon led Zelda out of the room and up one of the flights of stairs nearby as Apollomon got up off his bed and walked over to the window.

"Aren't you going with them, Thomas?" he asked me.

"…Under no circumstances is she to be ordered to harm another living being," I said. "Do I make myself clear?"

"…Are _you_ giving _me_ an order? That's rich," Apollomon snorted. When I didn't say anything, Apollomon turned around. "I never had any intention of turning her into a murderer…like I did with you."

"With all due respect, sir, it was another who turned me into a killer," I said. "At the very least, she gave me the ability and the nerve to kill someone, and the weapon to do it with."

"Fair enough," Apollomon laughed to himself. "Was that all? Or…was there something else you wished to discuss?"

"Sir…what can you tell me about quintessence?"

Apollomon turned to face me. "And just why would you want to know about something like _that_?!"

"While we were on our way back from Linnea, we stopped in Cyclamen City. There, we fought a Digimon called Devimon," I said.

"Devimon? I thought he was just a legend," Apollomon mused.

"Well, that's what we all thought about Deckerdramon, but _he_ turned out to be real," I replied. "The Devimon…he told me he was in Cyclamen to gather quintessence, although he didn't have the slightest idea what it was, or why he was even gathering it in the stead of another."

"To be perfectly honest…I don't know too much about it myself," Apollomon said. "The only thing my friend told me about it…long ago, he warned me to stay far away from it. Now, the only information I can offer you is the same warning he gave to me all those years ago; Thomas, _stay away from quintessence_, _and anything relating to it_. It will only lead to a ruinous end."

"Understood, sir," I said. "That is all; if you'll excuse me, I'll be retiring to my room with Statuedramon for the night."

"You are dismissed," Apollomon said. I bowed to the Mega Digimon before leaving the room. I made my way up the winding, musty staircase of the old fortress and to my bedroom.

* * *

**Apollomon**

_That girl…something about her…reminds me of that child I was unable to save._ "It's been 20 years," I whispered to myself. I stared out my window, stared at the sky, at the slowly setting sun, and the shadows the trees cast on our fortress. "That boy…what was his name again?"

"John." Somewhat surprised, I turned around and saw Pheragas and BlackGaomon standing in the doorway of my room. "You noticed too, didn't you?" BlackGaomon asked.

"Vut ah you talking about, BlackGaomon?" Pheragas asked.

"A few years before we met, back when Apollomon, Dianamon, SlashAngemon, and I were the only members of Lachesis, we were tasked with protecting a young child," BlackGaomon answered.

"The boy was originally from Iris Village, down in Cyprus Wasteland," I said. "However, a few circumstances led him to Cyclamen City, as he had been run out of his village."

"He vas run out? Vhy, vut did he do?" Pheragas asked.

"Well…see, the thing is…he didn't really _do_ anything," BlackGaomon said. "I don't really know how to explain it…"

"There is no real or logical way to explain _why_ he was run out; the Digimon of Iris, and later of Cyclamen, just kept saying he was different from the other Humans who lived with them, that…they just sensed something was different about him," I said. "To be perfectly fair, the four of us all felt somewhat troubled by his presence; we knew he was Human, but…all of our natural Digimon instincts were saying otherwise, that he was Human, and not Human at the same time. In spite of this, we all did our best to protect him…but we failed. We failed to protect that boy, and he was killed; killed for some reason nobody understands…"

"That new girl," BlackGaomon looked up at me. "She gives off the same kind of…aura that kid did twenty years ago." I nodded slowly.

"Vut does it mean?" Pheragas asked.

"In all honesty, I don't have the slightest idea," I admitted. "From what I've seen, though, other Digimon are extremely agitated by the presence of someone like that, and they're able to convince Humans of the same thing."

"I wasn't disturbed," BlackGaomon said. "I mean, I noticed, but it doesn't bother me. SlashAngemon and Dianamon also don't seem to mind her."

"Do you tink she knows?" Pheragas asked. "Do you tink she knows dat she makes you veel dis vay?"

"…The way she acted when we spoke; she was very timid and quiet. She kept her distance from me, almost as though she were afraid I would attack her," I said. "Yes…I believe she knows."

"If she was afraid you would've hurt her, then she must've really wanted to join us," BlackGaomon said.

"She wants to find her sister," I said. "When she was telling me about her situation, she had this look in her eyes…It was the most intense look of determination I had ever seen; I just couldn't say no to that."

"If people like dat ah as mistreated as you say day ah…" Pheragas sighed. "She must 'ave 'ad a rough childhood…"

"As disturbed as those Digimon were twenty years ago, I can't imagine them acting differently with her," I said. "Based on her attire, she seems to be from the desert region…like John was. She must have had to deal with a lot…"

"We can't allow history to repeat itself," BlackGaomon said. "_Nobody_ should have to experience what John did…"

"We'll keep her safe," I said firmly. "We cannot allow the fate that befell John to happen to Zelda. We _will_ protect her."

"Understood," BlackGaomon and Pheragas said. The pair turned to leave just as Dianamon came running into the room, out of breath.

"What's the matter, Dianamon?" I asked.

"We have…visitors…" she said between breaths. "They…they're knights." A dead, awkward silence filled the room.

"Vut do dey vant?" Pheragas asked, his tone dark and serious.

"If they've come to pick a fight, then they've—"

"Peace, BlackGaomon," I interrupted. "Let's go see what they want." The four of us left my room and headed for the lounge, where we found two knights standing, waiting patiently near the front entrance of the fortress. As we approached them, I noticed the other members of Lachesis sitting in the lounge as far away from them as possible from the entrance; Pheragas, BlackGaomon, and Dianamon had gone to join them. "The two of you wanted to see me?" I asked, trying my best to sound calm and unaggressive.

"Yes; please, forgive us for interrupting you from you busy schedule," the younger of the two knights said. He had bright blond hair, was donned in golden armor with a blue cape, and armed with a giant, two-handed sword. His sharp eyes were a piercing green. The man next to him was taller, and dressed in a heavy, black armor. His hair was dark brown, as were his eyes, and he was armed with a thick, but rather short, lance.

"You two…are Valencian Knights, aren't you?" I asked. The man nodded. "What are your names?"

"Oh, please forgive my rudeness; my name is Saias, and I'm a Knight Commander in the Valencian Military, and this is my subordinate, Lector." The older-looking man bowed slightly. "I understand…us knights aren't exactly welcome here at Lachesis, Sir Apollomon, so please forgive me for—"

"No need to apologize," I said quickly. "If you'd like, you may come in and sit down while you tell us what it is you want." I led the two knights into the lounge, ignoring the glares I received from the other members of Lachesis as the two knights sat on a couch facing me.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"So…what should we do tomorrow?" Statuedramon asked. The two of us had been lying on our backs, staring up at the ceiling of my bedroom for the past few minutes and trying to get to sleep, to no avail.

"I don't know," I said. "Let's just see what happens tomorrow, and we can decide from there…" I sat up and looked around my room; as with nearly every part of the castle, the room was gray and made of stone and brick. For a bedroom, it was surprisingly large, and quite spacious. There wasn't much furniture in the room, with the bed I lay on and the armchair Statch sat in being the only pieces. In the corner of the room was a tall lamp that served as the room's only source of light, and across from the bed I sat on was a window.

"Think we should go do another job right away?" As I was about to answer, there came a knock on my door.

"Come in!" The large wooden door, worn out with age, creaked open, allowing Zelda to enter my room. "Oh, hello…is there anything I can help you with?"

"Thomas…I just wanted to thank you both again for letting me come with you, and for letting me join your guild," Zelda said. "It…means a lot to me, having friends like the two of you."

"Think nothing of it; you helped us, so we helped you," Statuedramon said. "That's what friends are for, right?"

"…Yes," Zelda smiled, and as she reached into her satchel, she pulled something out. "I'd like you to have this necklace, Thomas; it was given to me by my sister, Hannah. All this time I've spent away from her, I've let myself believe that it protected me from harm, just as she used to do. Now, I would like to believe that it could protect you, too."

"Zelda…" I held out my hand and took the necklace; it had a small blue pendant, lined with gold, and was attached to a leather string, thin but sturdy. "Are you certain?"

"I insist."

"…Thank you. I promise I'll take really good care of it." I looked at the clear, crystalline gem at its center, which was glossy and polished enough to reflect my brown eyes. _She's giving me something this…this important to her…She must really trust me to give me something like this…_I securely clasped the pendant in my hand as I continued looking into its center.

"How are you enjoying your stay here so far?" Statch asked.

"Oh, it's wonderful! It's like I finally have a home!" Zelda exclaimed. "Say…everyone here seems to have a nickname. What are the two of yours?"

"I'm the 'Assassin,'" I replied. "I sneak up and slit the enemy's throats from behind. Of course, sometimes, that won't always work, so I have to fight head on like we did with Etemon."

"I'm the…the…" Statuedramon hesitated, and muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?"

"I'm the 'Fool,' okay?! There, I said it!" The dragon's face flushed an enraged crimson. "Shut up, Thomas!"

"I didn't say anything…"

"You were _thinking_ it!"

"…You know me too well, Statuedramon." I smirked. "The '_Fool_.'"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHH! HOW DID I EVEN GET THAT NAME IN THE FIRST PLACE?! HOW DOES IT EVEN RELATE TO WHAT I DO?! DO I LOOK LIKE A FUCKING JESTER?! DO I?!"

"It's a mystery to me," I said in a sarcastic tone of voice that made Zelda giggle. "So, Zelda, what does your sister look like?"

"My sister? Oh…"

"I'd like to help you look for her, if I can. It's the least I could do for you."

"Oh…well…when we were growing up in Adonis Village…people would often say that we looked a lot alike," Zelda said. "She's so much prettier than I am, but I guess that isn't saying very much, is it…"

"What do you mean?" Statuedramon asked.

"Well, I…I'm not very pretty…" She spoke quietly, but I was able to understand what she said.

"What are you talking about? Zelda, you're beautiful," I said. Instantly, her cheeks flushed deep scarlet.

"W—What? N—No, I…I'm not!" She placed her hands over her cheeks, and nervously looked at the two of us. "I…I'm ugly…"

"No you're not," I said.

"N—No…Really, I…I'm the farthest thing from being beautiful," Zelda whimpered. "That's what my mother always used to tell me, anyway, before she was—"

"Well, your mom was wrong," I interrupted.

"Thomas, ah you in your room?" Pheragas's loud, booming voice echoed from behind my closed door. The door to my room swung open even further as the large man walked in, accompanied by BlackGaomon.

"Pheragas, why can't you ever knock?" Statuedramon asked.

"De last time I knocked on a door, I broke it," Pheragas said. "You all need to come down."

"Why? What's going on?" I asked.

"We have company," BlackGaomon said, cracking his knuckles. "Very…_unwelcome_ company."

"You mean—"

"The knights have come," I said, finishing Statuedramon's thought. Pheragas nodded. The large man had a dark look in his eyes.

"Please, come vith me." The large man and his Digimon left my room.

"_Came on a little too strong back there, pal_," Statch whispered as soon as Zelda left my room.

"_Give me a break, that was my first time,_" I replied. The Rookie laughed, and slapped my back as we both left my room, where we found Zelda waiting for us outside. As we went downstairs, I carefully place the necklace Zelda gave me into my coat pocket.

"What's going on?" Zelda whispered to me.

"I don't really know, but stay close," I answered. "I don't know why the knights have come here, but if my theory is right…Just stay close. Please." The three of us walked into the lounge room, where we joined every other member of the guild in the kitchen, save for Apollomon. "Dianamon, what's going on?"

"Those two are knights," Dianamon said, carefully observing the two men Apollomon spoke to. "The smaller one is Saias, a Knight Commander in the Valencian Military, and the other one is his subordinate, Lector. That's about all I know…"

"Can you believe these two?!" Garret scoffed when he noticed us. Jerking his thumb over to the couches where Apollomon and two other men sat, he muttered, "That damn knight; who the hell does that bastard think he is, waltzing in here with his crony like he owns everything in Arcadia? I'd like to shove my axes right up his—"

"Please, do us all a vavor and do not attack dem," Pheragas sighed. "Dese two knights…dey are quite different from de oder knights 'oo ve have previously encountered."

"—and then, when it turns purple, I'd tear it right off!" Garret finished, completely ignoring Pheragas. "Wait…what? What do you mean, _different_?! ALL of those bastards are the same; no matter what, they _can't_ be trusted!"

"Yeah, I'm sorry, Pheragas, but afraid I'm going to have to agree with Garret on this," BlackGaomon said. "I won't lose my temper and attack them or anything, but…I just can't agree with you on that." Pheragas stared down at his Digimon, neither angry nor annoyed.

"Chrissy will never forgive the Valencian Knights; not after what they did to Adrian…" I looked over and saw Chrysania's small body trembling as Luna walked up behind her and placed a comforting hand on her tiny shoulder.

_Five years I've known her, and not once have I ever seen her not smiling…_

"Yeah, that's another reason we ought to beat the living hell out of them; they need to answer for what they did to Adrian!" Garret said, raising his voice.

"Ve've no proof dat 'e's dead, just dat dey took 'im avay," Pheragas said.

"Well, even still, they took one of our members, so I say we take one of theirs!" Statuedramon said.

"If we did that, then we'd be no better than them," I said.

"Thomas, how can you—"

"Will you all shut up so I can hear what they're saying?!" SlashAngemon asked, carefully observing Apollomon and the two knights. Standing behind him was Irene, hiding her face in between his wings while trying to make herself look as small and unnoticeable as possible, though every now and then, I would see her poke her head around SlashAngemon's arm to see what was happening.

"So, the only reason you two were sent was because it was your turn?" Apollomon asked. Grinning, he asked, "Is our guild really so troublesome that you need to strategize over who gets to slap us on the wrist next?"

"No, nothing like that at all," Saias said, sounding as if he were trying not to laugh. "If it were up to Lector and me, no harm would come to you or your group, Sir Apollomon. The two of us have no problem with what you do here, and we in no way support the previous and future actions of our comrades towards you."

"We understand that you have no reason to either trust or believe us, but it is the truth," Lector said.

"I…believe what you say," Apollomon said.

"Damn it, what the hell is the old bastard thinking?! We can't trust those two!" Garret whispered.

"You have my gratitude, sir," Saias said. "Now, about that matter we discussed earlier…"

"Oh, yes; Thomas, Statuedramon, get over here!" Apollomon hollered. "Oh, and…you as well, Zelda!" The three of us were given looks of concern by our fellow members as we walked over to Apollomon in the lounge room.

_Well, this certainly bodes ill…_

"These two have a job for us," Apollomon said.


	14. Their Request

**Statuedramon**

**Lachesis Fortress**

"These two have a job for us." Apollomon's words echoed softly through the large room and were followed by an unsettling silence. We sat on the couch, next to Apollomon, while the two knights sat across from us. For what felt like the longest time, nobody said anything, and during that time, Apollomon stared firmly at the three of us, though in a way that made it seem like he was staring only at me, as if waiting for me to snap, to say something wrong, or simply mess up in any way possible…which was, unfortunately, something I had a tendency to do. Meanwhile, the two knights, Saias and Lector, were sitting on the couch across from us, waiting patiently; they did not fidget, nor did they even glance up at us expectantly for our reply. "Is there a problem?" The question caught me by surprise and shattered the awkward silence of the room.

_Great…just fucking great!_ I thought. _Boss is probably going to _force_ us to do this job…_

"No, sir, there is no problem," Thomas said. "It's just…well, given the circumstances, I was caught off guard by their…sudden visit."

"Yes, well, one thing has nothing to do with the other," Apollomon said.

_It has _everything_ to do with it!_ I thought. It took nearly every ounce of self-control to keep myself from screaming the thought at Apollomon. _He can't honestly expect us to help a few _knights_ out after everything they've done to us…does he? No…at the very least, there's no way Thomas would even _consider_ helping these people out…_

"…They came here, fully armed, and covered head to toe in armor," Thomas said. "I believe I at least have the right to question that much, Apollomon."

"We are currently on duty, good sir," Saias said calmly. "Our visit is not one that was an order to us, meaning we are not allowed to be here presently. If our commanding officers found out about this, we could very well be executed for treason."

"Simply for disobeying orders?" Thomas asked. "That's a little extreme, wouldn't you say?"

"_This_ coming from the 'Assassin?'" Apollomon laughed.

"Sadly, yes…but, this is the way of the knight," Saias smiled sadly.

"…So, what job do they have for us?" Thomas asked, looking directly at Apollomon.

"They want you to find someone for them," Apollomon said. "Do you…wish to accept this job?" Thomas sat, staring at Apollomon, and then at the two knights.

_He's not going to…I mean, there's no way that he'd actually _want_ to help these people…right?_

"We understand that you and everyone else here have had a troubling history with knights like us, and if you don't feel comfortable taking a job request from us, we will not force you to," Saias said calmly. "We can always go somewhere else if we are being an inconvenience—"

"No, that will not be necessary." Apollomon turned to look at us, though it seemed he was staring most intently at me once more. "Thomas will do it…I chose him because I know he would not ever bias a client." I looked up at Thomas, whose face was without any emotion, as was to be expected of him.

"If we are to do this job," Thomas began, taking a deep breath. "I will need to know more about it."

"Yes, of course, Sir," Saias said. "We will tell you all we know about where we think—"

"Not that," Thomas interrupted. "Why are we searching for this person? Why do you need him or her to be found?"

"Wait, you're not actually going to do it, are you?!" I blurted out unintentionally. I jumped off the couch and looked Apollomon straight in the eyes. "What if this is some kind of a trap?! These two are _knights_, in case you've forgotten! There's no way we can trust them!"

"You needn't worry. They know what would happen to them if this was a trap," Apollomon said, speaking calmly. "They know full well that if anything happens to the three of you on this job because of them, they would spend each day trembling in the shadow of our guild for the rest of their lives." As Apollomon spoke, I looked at the expressions on the faces of the knights and saw not the smallest sign of fear, anger, or worry.

_They don't seem to be concerned. Either they are telling the truth and this really _is_ a job for us, or they aren't afraid of us…Arrogant bastards probably think they can take us all on with just the two of them. Well, I won't let that—_

"I apologize for the interruption. Now, what are you able to tell us about this person?" Apollomon asked.

"The person we need you to find is a man named Ienzo; he has short brown hair, he's slightly shorter than me, and he's a rather thin man, being a non-combatant," Saias said. "He used to be a scientist working for the military, but he left about four years ago, without any warning; and now, one of our commanding officers wants him to be found."

"We'd go ourselves, but the two of us specifically weren't given any orders to find him," Lector continued. "We don't have any idea what he worked on before he left, but we can only assume that whatever it was caused him to leave. The higher ups all seem to be pretty angry that he left, so I can only imagine what the knights they've deployed to find him have been ordered to do to him once they've found him."

"So, you need us to find him before the other knights do," Thomas said.

"Correct; and, if possible, bring him back with you," Saias said. "If he refuses to come back with you, do not force him to do so."

"So, what do you think?" Apollomon asked. "You will do it…won't you?"

"…I'll do it," Thomas said. He looked over his shoulder at Zelda and me. "What about you? Will you go with me?"

"Of course I'll go with you," Zelda smiled. The two turned to look at me expectantly.

_Great; if I say no, I'll look like an even bigger jackass than Garret…_ "I'll…go with you," I said reluctantly. "But only so I can bail you two out when you finally figure out it's a trap! It's not like I believe what these knights have to say or anything!"

"Well, whatever the reason, we appreciate your cooperation," Saias said. "Now, we've heard a few rumors saying that Ienzo is living somewhere in Lotisea, presumably in an old or abandoned house; Ienzo wasn't exactly the kind of person to enjoy the company of others, save for the most beautiful of women. In fact, for the first few months he was gone, there were rumors that he left us solely because there was nobody who fit his standards where he worked."

"I've heard him ramble on and on for hours one time about this one girl he saw just passing by on his way to work," Lector said.

"He's been gone for four years, right?" Zelda asked.

"Well, give or take a few months, that's about how long he's been gone," Lector said.

"If he's been gone for that long, then why have you all been ordered to look for him all of a sudden?" Zelda asked.

"It has recently come to light that he made off with some…rather important information," Saias said. "Whether it was something he simply knows or something that was written down on paper has still not been made clear to us. The only order that was given was for the deployed knights to find him as soon as possible. I've tried asking my superiors more about the situation, but they refuse to speak on the matter."

"Where's he supposedly hiding?" Thomas asked. "Surely, they've given a more specific area to search than just the entire province of Lotisea."

"Lector, hand me the map, please," Saias said. The older knight obeyed, reaching into a small bag at his side and pulling out a small map, which he handed to his superior.

"Let's see…this fortress is about right here," Saias gently lay the old map onto the floor, and placed his finger on the point on the map where Lachesis stood. "The rumors we heard said he lives slightly to the east of here, but past the border of Lotisea, and near Ambrosia River."

"Looks like he's about an hour away," Apollomon said.

"Good; this shouldn't take too long, then," Thomas said as he and Zelda stood up, and I, reluctantly, began following them toward the fort's entrance.

"Wait, you're leaving already?" Saias asked.

"The sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can place that man into your protective custody," Thomas said. "Was there…anything else you needed to tell us?"

"Well…in a manner of speaking," Saias said nervously. "In addition to the rumors we heard about Ienzo, we also heard a few other unsettling rumors of an incredibly powerful and vicious Digimon nearby."

"A powerful Digimon? How strong is it?" Thomas smirked.

…_I know that look in his eyes. I've seen Thomas come out on top in fights with some really strong Digimon before, other than Apollomon and Dianamon. He wants to find that Digimon…_

"Like Saias said, this is all rumors, so there's no way of telling for sure if he's real or not. All the same, he's a Digimon you want to be on the lookout for," Lector said.

"We have no name for him, nor do we even know what he looks like," Saias said. "All we know is that he uses fire attacks far too powerful for his level, and he's capable of killing Mega Digimon in only a few attacks at most. This Digimon…he is an enemy to Humans and Digimon alike."

"Well…Just another reason we need to finish this job as soon as possible," Thomas said. "Come on, let's get this over with."

_I hope I don't regret this…_ I sighed wearily as I followed Thomas and Zelda out of the fort. _Both those knights, _and_ a deadly, killer Digimon on the loose…how could life get any worse than this?!_

* * *

**Apollomon**

"Are you sure there isn't anything I can do for you two?" I asked. The entire thirty minutes Thomas, Zelda, and Statuedramon had been gone, the two knights and I hadn't done so much as speak; rather, we sat facing each other, doing little more than breathe.

"You have been most generous by allowing us to remain here while those three search for Ienzo; it would be remiss of us to impose further upon you," Saias said. I sighed and looked over my shoulder to my left. The other members of Lachesis were standing as far away as possible from us, though each and every one of them was glaring at the two knights.

"You don't need to stand so far away," I said. "They aren't going to hurt you. Come on; join us!" My comrades gave each other nervous glances, but finally, they relented. Dianamon, Pheragas and BlackGaomon were the first to approach us, though they stopped and sat down at a table about ten feet away from us.

"If our presence is troubling to you, you needn't come closer if you do not wish to do so," Saias said. Pheragas didn't answer him and continued carefully observing the two knights with BlackGaomon. Gradually, with my encouragement, the other members inched their way closer and closer to us when the sound of a person falling and landing on the stone floor caught their attention.

"Did you fall again, Chrysania?" I asked.

"No! I mean, yes! I mean..." Chrysania picked herself up off the ground, brushing the dust off her clothes as she did so.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Luna asked.

"Chrissy's okay…she falls all the time, so she's used to it…" Chrysania tightly grabbed on to Luna's hand, placing her foster mother between her and the two knights.

"Don't worry, Chrissy," Luna said in a barely audible whisper. She pulled Chrysania into a tight hug and began gently stroking the back of the young girl's hair. "Mommy's not going to let those two come anywhere near mommy's little angel." After a few moments, I glanced back at everyone, seeing that, while they had gotten closer, they all crowded behind Pheragas and Dianamon, both of whom still sat at the table. In fact, the only two who didn't come any closer were Garret and MetalEtemon. I sighed and looked over at the two knights.

"Please, excuse me for a moment." I stood up and walked over to Garret. "Is there a problem?"

"Yeah, actually, there is a problem," Garret said. "_I don't like knights_."

"Yes, I know, nobody here likes Valencian Knights. Everyone here has a reason to hate them," I sighed. "These two are different, though; can't you tell?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but I cannot agree with you," Garret said. "In _my_ book, _all_ knights are the same!"

"I'm surprised you can _read_ that book."

"…In all honesty, I believe you've made a terrible decision, letting those kids go alone to do that so-called 'job' of theirs."

"I know, Garret, but I—"

"You weren't there!" Garret yelled. "You weren't there when Adrian was taken away! You didn't see those knights drag his body away! I was the only one who was there! Not you, not even MetalEtemon! I'm the only one who has to live with the guilt of not having been able to do anything to save him, so don't tell me how I ought to feel about those two! Come on, MetalEtemon; let's go!" Garret stormed out of the room in a huff, walking towards the fort's entrance.

"Apologies, Sir Apollomon," MetalEtemon said before following after his Human partner.

_The Valencian Knights…I know our actions towards them is unjust, but their retribution is worse still. And our group would not even need to do what it does if they would all simply do their job right!_ I walked back to the lounge, rejoining Saias and Lector. _And these two…why are they so different from the other knights we've seen? They're so earnest and intelligent, and they don't reek of alcohol…_


	15. The Man in the Forest

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Lotisea Province**

**30 Minutes**

The forest of Lotisea Province was nothing more than a sea of trees so vast and so deep, it is said that one would have to spend over a thousand lifetimes trying to find one specific tree within the entire forest…which, of course, was the only thing Lotisea consisted of. Just a forest. No cities, no roads, nothing. It is because of this that few Humans have set foot in Lotisea, or even considered doing so. Add to that the unbearable humidity and a certain rumor that claimed that, should anyone, good, evil, or indifferent, enter the wrong part of the forest, they would be doomed to wander the forest forever until death's sweet embrace relieves them of their weariness. This was, however, only what the average citizen was aware of. At the farthest corner of the forest was an old city, one that Statuedramon and I visited nearly two years ago, with a temple that worshiped an ancient Digimon known as Deckerdramon.

"It's getting dark," I said. "If we don't hurry, it'll be difficult for us to find our way back to the fort."

"We've been walking the same direction; we haven't turned or anything," Zelda said. "It shouldn't be too difficult to find the fort; the only thing we'll have to watch out for is the roots of these trees."

"Do either of you think the rumor about this place is true?" Statuedramon asked. "You know…the one about how if we get lost, we'll be here forever? And how the trees move around to make it impossible to escape this place?"

"Statch, we've been to this forest dozens of times, and nothing has happened to us. So, nothing _will_ happen to us," I replied.

"Yeah, but we've never been here at _night_," Statuedramon said. "_What if all those things happen at night_?"

"You have never been here at night because every time we've been here, you've fallen asleep before sundown, forcing _me_ to carry you to wherever it is we're going."

"But…couldn't we have done this tomorrow?" Statuedramon griped. "It's getting cold, I'm getting hungry again, and I can barely see my hand in front of my face!"

"Well, Statuedramon, maybe you should try raising your arm so that your hand actually is in front of your face before you say that," I suggested.

"…Oh, that's better."

"And there isn't any way we could've waited until tomorrow to find him," I added. "This man's life is potentially in danger, and it's our job to ensure he stays alive."

"Well, yeah, but…he's a knight!"

"Not anymore; he left them, remember? And that's why they all want him dead," I said. "Well, everyone except for Saias and Lector."

"Well, even if he isn't one anymore, he still used to be one, so I don't think he deserves our protection!" Statch insisted. "He _deserves_ to have his life at risk!"

"It doesn't matter if he deserves our protection or not; it is our job to do so," I said. "Such is the life of a mercenary."

"Um…Thomas? Could you tell me why our guild doesn't like knights?" Zelda asked.

"…Yeah. I guess you deserve to know, since you're new," I replied. "It isn't _just_ knights hailing from Valencia. Our grudge extends to knights from all five of Celosia's territories; Valencia, Shendu, Elphierr, Valneva, and Cherifia. Surely, Zelda, you are at least aware of the pompous, lazy, and arrogant behavior of knights from these territories."

"I am. It is common knowledge, even in the desert," Zelda said sadly. "I experienced it first-hand during my travels, long before I met the two of you."

"Because they're so lazy, it makes it easier for the bandits to run amok in poor, unsuspecting villages," Statuedramon said. "Because the people have no way of defending themselves, they send in help or job requests for the knights to do. But, of course, they only take the high-paying ones, and when they actually go and _do_ their damn job like they're _supposed_ to, they make an _even bigger_ mess of things, killing _even more_ people than the _bandits_ have!"

"And…that's why they hate your group?" Zelda asked. "I don't understand…"

"We steal the jobs of the knights from the Valencian capital city of Yew. That's why Statch and I were hesitant about going through that city on our way back from Linnea," I replied. "We take their jobs…their source of income. And then, we do a good job of fixing things, leaving the citizens we protect feeling indebted to us. Not only does this take away the knights' money, but it also takes away their reputation as being the only source of protection these people have."

"…I have never heard such a well-justified reason for stealing in my entire life," Zelda giggled.

"Yeah, our group's awesome like that," Statch agreed.

"We are all constantly aware that they could retaliate at any moment, and with their larger numbers, they could easily defeat us. If that were to ever happen…I have no doubts about…about some of the things they would do to Irene, Luna, and Chrysania…_or you_." I found that the last two words were choked out with some slight difficulty. I wasn't quite sure why, though.

"…Don't worry, buddy. There's no way we'd lose with Apollomon and Dianamon on our side," Statuedramon said quietly. "And also, the two of us! And Pheragas could just tear a tree out of the ground and kill, like, thirty of them at a time!"

"The only reason we have yet to directly confront the knights…well, I suppose there are several reasons…They have us outnumbered quite severely," I said. "But the main reason…the knights are working directly for the royalty of each of the five territories; the king of Cherifia, the empresses of Shendu and Elphierr, the queen of Valencia, and the Tsar of Valneva, all of whom seem to be unaware of the incompetency of their knights. If we were to make any of them truly angry…it could very well be the end. Not just for our guild, but…"

"…For the rest of Arcadia," Zelda finished, speaking quietly.

"We are always especially careful not to provoke any of them too much," I said. "That means no murdering, Statch."

"What're you lookin' at _me_ for?!"

"That's what you're thinking about right now, isn't it?"

"Nu-uh!"

"Then tell me what you _are_ thinking about!"

"…Uh…Sandwiches?"

"Nice try."

"Pizza?"

"You had your chance."

"Thomas! C'mon! Just let me kill them a _little_ bit! They'll be fine in the morning!"

"Thomas, I think I see something," Zelda said, pointing off into the distance. It was difficult to see, but I could barely make out the form of what seemed to be a small cottage built in between two large and sturdy trees.

"Well, this had better be _his_ house!" Statuedramon said, walking up to the house and slamming his fist on the door angrily. To his surprise, the door opened as soon as he touched it.

"Please, come in…" A voice from behind the door said.

I walked into the house first, my hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of my blade. The inside of the house was almost completely dark, and what little of the house's floor I could see was covered with papers and books that appeared to have been unceremoniously tossed there.

"Tell me…who are you?" the voice asked.

"If you don't know, why'd you tell us to come in?!" Statuedramon asked.

"Are you Ienzo?" I asked.

"If you're here to take me with you, then you should just turn back now, because I will not go back there…"

"We aren't with the military, Ienzo, but we were sent by two knights named Saias and Lector." For a few moments, there was no sound except for the breathing of the man I spoke to.

"So…Saias wants to find me, huh?"

"He wants to place you in protective custody; Lector and Saias both want to protect you from the other knights," I said. Instantly, the lights in the house came on, revealing that we stood in what seemed to be the only room in the house. All over the rest of the floor were papers, books, and clothes, many of which were covered in a fine layer of dust. The only furniture in sight was a bed with even more clothes on it and wooden table with a single chair in front of it. On the other side of the room was the man I spoke to.

"Sorry about the mess; I've been here 'bout four years, haven't cleaned up once…" he said, walking over to us.

"Are you Ienzo?" Statuedramon asked.

"I should hope that would be obvious by now, Statuedramon," I said, though I doubt he heard me.

"Yes, I—oh, my god!" Ienzo gasped and stared intently at Zelda. "My god, you…you're so…so beautiful! Oh, it's been far too long since I've seen such exquisite beauty! Please, my angel; tell me your name!"

"I—my name is Zelda," she said quietly. Blushing furiously, she lowered her head to the ground. "Really…I'm not _that_—"

"Zelda…ah, yes, a beautiful name perfectly befitting the beauty of its owner! Yes, it is truly—"

"Damn it, are you Ienzo or not?!" Statuedramon shouted.

"Wha–? Oh, yes, pardon me; I am Ienzo," Ienzo said.

"I see you're exactly as Saias described you," I said.

"Oh, really? What did they say? Surely, I must be more ruggedly handsome—"

"No, not that," I interrupted. "They told us you degenerate into a blathering idiot whenever you're around beautiful women."

"…B…blathering?"

"They hit the nail on the head with that description," Statch added. "Actually, that's the only description of you they gave us, other than what you look like."

"…Alas…my one true weakness has been uncovered," Ienzo sighed. "Oh, but how could I resist that long golden hair? Or those eyes; those deep oceans of sapphire…Mmm…" Zelda took a step back so that she was hiding behind me. As Ienzo continued rambling, I felt an unfamiliar rage well up inside me.

"Hey, is it true you stopped being a knight because there weren't any beautiful women around?" Statch asked, interrupting Ienzo.

"What?! Who the hell said that?!" Ienzo asked.

"Nobody really _said_ it; it was just a rumor," I said.

"Well, I'll have you know that is _not_ the case! The reason I left is a lot more complex than that!"

"Well…I am unfamiliar with the behavior of knights towards their own, though I doubt they would treat you, a deserter, with kindness, considering what they do to our group merely out of envy and greed," I said. "However, Saias and Lector wish to protect you; now, if you'll please, come with us so we—"

"No, thank you." Ienzo yawned as he walked over to his table. "You're right; if any other knight found me, it would take a miracle for me to stay alive. However...let's just say that isn't a miracle I'm exactly searching for…"

"What do you mean?" Statuedramon asked.

"If you're here for me, then you must know what it was I did when I used to be a knight," Ienzo sat down backward in the lone chair in the room, facing us.

"We weren't told," I said. "Saias and Lector don't know, either."

"When I used to work for the knights, I was a scientist," Ienzo said. "To be a researcher like me among a group of battle-ready knights is quite unusual, rare even—among the lower ranking knights who didn't know who I was, I was often demeaned, told I didn't belong with them, but those of higher ranks, like Saias and Lector, they valued my skills, saying that combat strength wasn't everything. That was probably the only thing we can both agree on, me and the higher-ups. Because they valued me so much, I did what they told me, no question. It made me feel as though I had a purpose in life, and because of that, I researched everything they told me to. What I researched claimed the lives of many innocents. Its name…quintessence."

"Quintessence?!" I stared at Ienzo; the look on his face told me he expected exactly this kind of surprised reaction.

"That's the stuff Devimon was looking for!" Statch said.

"Sir…is it alright if we ask you what quintessence is?" Zelda peeked at the man around my shoulder.

"Quintessence…is said to be the element that dwells inside every person, as his or her own life force. The more powerful the Human or Digimon, the more quintessence they have." Ienzo looked me straight in the eyes. "The only way to harness quintessence, the life force of another living being…is through their death."

"Death…You mean you—"

"When living things die, their quintessence is released and the power can be harnessed. When I was a knight…I did unfathomable experiments on living beings…Digimon, men, women, even children if they were strong enough. I did all of those cruel experiments without a second thought. It took the words of a brave friend of mine — dead now; he was killed trying to help me — to realize what I was doing." Ienzo looked down at the cluttered floor. "I don't know who or what wanted all that quintessence, though…you can be sure that, knowing all that I do about quintessence, whoever ordered me to be found wouldn't want someone like me to leave — it could turn out pretty bad for them if _that_ secret got out, you know?"

"That's why you need to come with us," I said. "Saias and Lector want to protect you, and I'm sure they'd be able to!"

"I know they _could_, and I have no doubts of the sincerity of those two," Ienzo said. "But…to be honest, I'd rather not…the _corrupt_ knights want me dead as much as I do." All three of us stared at him. "Don't look so surprised—you heard what I did, right? I'm a murderer; I unhesitatingly killed countless men, women, and children, and even Digimon. I could never ask for forgiveness, and a painful death would be a small gesture at best…I've tried many times, but I was too much of a coward to actually do it. I can't sleep anymore, remembering their screams; I just want it all to end!"

"…Very well." I turned away, opening the door to Ienzo's house to leave.

"Thomas…we're not going to leave him behind, are we?" Zelda asked.

"After all the time we spent looking for him, we're just going to leave him here?" Statch moaned. "You're mean!"

"We don't have any choice; it's obvious he doesn't want the protection he's been offered," I said, and then turned back to face Ienzo. "We will be back, Ienzo, if our clients desire it, but for now, we shall leave you be."

"…I understand," Ienzo said, giving a sad smile as the three of us left.

* * *

**Lachesis Fortress**

**1 Hour**

It was completely pitch-black outside by the time we made it back to the fortress. As we walked into the fort, we found that most of the guild members had already left the fort. Apollomon, Saias, and Lector were sitting in the same spots they were in when we left. Saias stood up as we entered the lounge, looking at us expectantly.

"We weren't able to get him to come with us," I said. "We could have easily forced him to come, though, given that you wished to protect him, I had doubts about hurting him to bring him back with us."

"I see," Saias said. "That is quite unfortunate, though I am glad he is still alive. Thank you for going."

"I'm impressed you were actually able to find him in that short amount of time," Lector said.

"There is…something else I need to tell you," I said. "It has to do with what Ienzo was doing. I think it would be best if you knew."

"You know, we were never actually told about what he was researching," Lector said.

"This is true," Saias murmured. "Very well; tell us what it is he did." Saias sat back down, and Zelda and I sat next to Apollomon, while Statuedramon went to the kitchen as Zelda and I proceeded to tell them what we were told about quintessence.

"…and that's all Ienzo told us about what he had been doing," I said. Saias and Lector, even Apollomon, were blankly staring at the two of us.

"I can't believe…Ienzo would do something like that," Lector said after a long silence.

"You mean to tell me that something like this has been going on for years by the Valencian military, and not one person has noticed?!" Saias asked. I nodded.

"I feel kind of stupid now…" Lector said.

"How could…how could something like that be allowed to go on for as long as it has? How could something like that be done by us knights, who are sworn to protect the citizens of Arcadia?!" Saias shouted.

"You two…really didn't know anything about this?" Apollomon asked.

"If we did, you can bet that it wouldn't be going on anymore!" Lector said.

"Hmm…I have a feeling that may have been why we were never informed…" Saias said. "We only wanted to find Ienzo because we knew he left with some sort of important information…We knew that, knowing a secret like that, if he didn't choose to go back, he would most certainly be killed. But we never imagined that the secret would be something so…terrible…"

"What are you two going to do now?" Apollomon asked.

"You have been most generous, and we have taken up enough of your time, Sir Apollomon," Saias said. The two knights stood up and walked toward the exit. "We'll be heading back to Yew."

"If you two ever need to speak with us again, please know that you are always welcome here," Apollomon said, walking over to the two knights. "Don't ever hesitate to contact us if you feel the need."

"…Thank you, Apollomon." Saias shook Apollomon's hand, and after smiling at Apollomon, he and Lector both left the fortress, the echoing sounds of their footsteps gradually decreasing in volume as they both vanished from sight.


	16. Another Caller of Spirits

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Lachesis Fortress**

It has now been two days since Saias and Lector left, and it was easy to see that most of the other members of Lachesis were relieved that they were no longer in the same building as a knight, even after so much time had passed. Everyone was smiling and seemed more at ease; I even caught Irene smiling once or twice, if only for a brief moment each time.

"I sure am glad all of that crap is over with," Statuedramon said. "I never want to see another knight again as long as I live!" The two of us were sitting at a table in the fort's lounge, eating lunch. Luna, Chrysania, and SlashAngemon, who were sitting at the table with us, nodded their heads in agreement.

"I still can't believe the three of you actually did that job," Luna said.

"It's what we do, is it not?" I asked. "Protect the innocent and all that?"

"It just seems rather…contradictory," SlashAngemon said. "Our guild exists to correct the mistakes the knights have made, not to help them make a bigger one."

"Who says they're making a mess of things right now? What if they simply wish to protect this man?"

"Yeah? Well, what if he's, like, a serial killer or something, and they're helping him hide?" Statch asked. "If they _are _helping him hide, then _we'd_ be _helping_ them hide some anthrax-infested serial rapist from the future! Ever think of _that_?!"

"…From the future?" SlashAngemon stared at the Rookie Digimon.

"Quite an imagination you've got there, love," Luna said. The young sorceress slowly moved her tongue across her red lips. "I _like_!"

"But it _could_ happen!"

"Perhaps, but such reasoning is arbitrary; they had a job for us to do, so it was done. Nothing else matters," I said.

"Look, Thomas, I understand what you're saying; really, I do," SlashAngemon said. "I just don't think it was a good idea, helping them out. Do you realize the three of you could have potentially been killed that night?"

"Do you think it was an easy decision for me to help them out? Do you think it was easy for me to help the kind of people who hurt my mother?!"

"If the knights hurt someone important to you, why did you aid those two?" Luna asked.

"Because that is what makes us different from them! We help those in need, while the knights laugh in their faces, and condemn the victims of bandit raids for bringing such tragedies upon themselves when they had nothing to do with it! We prevent such tragedies from occurring in the first place. Those two that I helped…they weren't like the other knights all of us have encountered at some point in our lives. They were honest, hardworking individuals who truly cared about protecting the innocent. Do you think Apollomon would have wanted any of us to help them if they really were like the other knights?!"

"Thomas is correct." SlashAngemon looked over his shoulder and saw Pheragas towering over him. "Apollomon vould not 'ave agreed to 'elp dem had dey been like oder knights. Or ah you 'aving doubts toward our leader?"

"Well…I suppose if you…put it that way…" SlashAngemon nervously looked away from the large man.

"Thomas, Apollomon vants to speak vith you and Statuedramon," Pheragas said. "'e's in 'is room."

"Very well; thank you, Pheragas." Statuedramon and I left the table and made our way to Apollomon's room, where we found him and Zelda waiting patiently for us.

"I found another job for the three of you while I was in Yew yesterday," Apollomon said. "It's from someone who used to live in a small town known as Mandrake." Apollomon was holding a map of Arcadia for us to look at. "It's just south of Yew — not even a mile — so in order to get there as fast as possible, you will need to go through that city," he said. "The Ambrosia River separates our fort from this town, but according to Irene and SlashAngemon, the bridge closest to us has been destroyed — presumably by bandits — leaving the quickest way to be through Yew, unfortunately. It's somewhat of a trek, but you should all make it back here before sundown."

"So, what's going on there?" I asked.

"Everyone from the town has been evacuated to Yew on account of a single Human," Apollomon said. "This man is the only one left in the town, and the people of Mandrake Town wish him gone so they can return to their homes. Now, I don't know what this Human is capable of, but if he was able to force the entire population of a single town, including all of the Digimon, to leave, then he must be extremely dangerous, so the three of you best be careful, understood? Regardless, do what you must so that he is no longer in Mandrake."

"Usual procedure, then?" Statuedramon asked. Apollomon nodded.

"What's the usual procedure?" Zelda asked.

"If we are able to…we sneak up behind and kill him from behind. Just a typical assassination," I replied.

* * *

**Outskirts of Mandrake Town**

**Valencia Territory**

**4 Hours**

Mandrake Town was an easy find after leaving Yew. As Apollomon said, it was less than a mile away, so it only took a few minutes for us to find it. It was a very small town; the entire settlement could be seen from the hill we stood atop, overlooking the town. The sun had fallen past its highest point in the sky, making several of the houses and buildings of Mandrake Town cast their shadows in our direction.

_How fortunate we are,_ I thought. _These shadows should make it somewhat easier to maneuver. Perhaps we ought to wait a little longer before we advance?_

"Why would anybody want to live in a place like _this_?!" Statuedramon whispered. "This place is a _dump_!"

"It's pretty close to the Ambrosia River; plenty of fish and fresh water for him or her to live off of," I said. "I guess whoever's here just didn't want to share it; in that regard, they could very well be a bandit."

"But there's only _one_ of him; most bandits are part of a group, not independent," Zelda said.

"Well, we'll all find out when we kick that guy's ass out of this town!" Statuedramon shouted rather loudly.

"Wait; we ought to wait just a little bit longer. In about thirty minutes, the shadows cast by these buildings will be large enough for us…to…" Statuedramon, of course, had ignored me, and began running out from the cover provided by the shadows. "He is going to get us killed one of these days, Zelda…"

Zelda laughed to herself as she and I began to run quietly after Statuedramon. Every now and then, I would see her looking off and away, and I knew that she was looking for her sister. We soon caught up to him, and I reached down and grabbed his arm, halting his run.

"What the hell did you do _that_ for?!" Statuedramon yelped. "I thought we needed to get rid of this bastard as soon as possible!"

"Think about the situation, for a moment; we don't know _anything_ about our target, but it is logical to assume that if he was able to force out an entire town of Humans _and_ Digimon, then he would be incredibly strong." Statuedramon shut his mouth at this point.

"So…what do _you_ suggest we do?" he asked.

"I'm not sure, but…we need to go about this as quietly as possible," I said. "Since we don't know how strong he is, we need to avoid separating." I looked around the town for a moment, thinking. "In towns like these all across Arcadia, the focal point is usually in the center of the area, usually so as to be protected by the rest of the area, and such a focal point is usually where the town's official or leader's building can be found; that's probably where we'll find him."

"Why would he be found there?" Statuedramon asked.

"Being in a place like a mayor's office or something would give him a feeling of power, which is — psychologically speaking — what bandits thrive off of. That's why they do what they do; so they can feel like they're the ones in charge. It's no different than being a schoolyard bully — other than the murdering, torching, and raping, of course."

"Wow…Thomas, you're so smart!" Zelda said, eyes shining brightly.

"Bandits are weird," Statuedramon muttered as he and Zelda began following me once more, toward the center of Mandrake Town. "So, this guy was strong enough to scare even the Digimon of this town away?"

"Mandrake isn't a very large town; I can't imagine there being too many, if any at all, large, powerful Digimon; probably nothing past the Champion level," Zelda said.

"Yeah, you're probably right…" Statuedramon suddenly stopped walking to read a sign that bore the words "Mayor's Office" in front of a rather large house. "Okay, I think this might be the Mayor's Office, guys."

"Be on your guard, everyone," I said, reaching for the doorknob of the house's front door just as it opened, and out walked a large man. Shirtless and heavily muscular, with spiked-up orange hair, he was quite a daunting sight to behold.

"…the hell're you?" the man asked.

"Are you the one who forced out everyone in this town?!" Statuedramon asked.

"And what if I am?" the man asked, crossing his arms over his broad chest. "This is a damn good place to live; what the hell is so wrong with wanting it all for myself?! It's not like I killed anybody to get what I wanted, right?"

"What a weird bandit," Statuedramon whispered.

"…He's been completely consumed by his own greed…" I said to myself.

"And just what the hell is so wrong with a lone bandit being so greedy?! I don't like other people, so I took it upon myself to force everyone else out!"

"…I don't suppose there's any way we could convince you to leave Mandrake Town?" I asked.

"Oh, please, why the hell would I want to leave?!" the man asked. "Tell me why I should, you little shit!"

"Forget it; all you need to know is what my blade feels like inside your chest." The man had begun to walk away, though he stopped as he heard the sound of my sword being removed from its scabbard as Statch removed his from his shield's dimension.

"We were ordered to force you out of this town any way possible," Statuedramon said. "We cannot and will not hesitate to kill you if you refuse to do so."

"And how d'you plan on doin' that, by _talkin'_ me to death?!"

"Zelda, you should find somewhere to hide," I said.

"…Oh…Well…At least let me help you!" Zelda said timidly. "Come forth, Renamon!" Zelda held one of her talismans up to the sky as the form of Renamon appeared before her.

"Ooh, you've got a Summoner with you, do you? Well, I've got a surprise for you." The man reached into the pockets of his black pants and pulled out what appeared to be a talisman. "Come forth, Vajramon!" The bandit held his talisman up to the sky just as Zelda did, and the form of the Ultimate level Digimon Vajramon appeared before him. "Do be so kind as to eliminate these pests."


	17. Grim Reunion

**A/N:** Sorry for the long wait; I just had a little bit of writer's block this week :P Anyway, enjoy, and please feel free to leave a review if you wish ^_^

* * *

**Zelda**

**Mandrake Town**

**Celosia Province**

"Come forth, Vajramon!" the man held his talisman up to the sky just as I had done, and the form of Vajramon appeared before him. This Vajramon, as opposed to others of his species, wore blue armor instead of the usual red armor. "Do be so kind as to eliminate these…_pests_." Vajramon looked down at the astral form of Renamon standing in front of me. Her bushy tail twitched anxiously, and the soft, golden fur that coated it stood up on ends.

"This girl…is she also a Summoner?" Vajramon asked.

"Yes, she is; is there a problem?!" Vajramon's owner asked. The large Ultimate shook his head. "Good; now, they'd better not be here when I get back!" The bandit walked off without taking another look back.

"It is the duty of us that are summoned to obey the orders of those who summon us, no matter who they might be…" Vajramon removed his two giant swords from their sheaths.

"I couldn't agree more," Renamon said. "Now if only Gallantmon thought the same way…" Renamon briefly glanced at me over her shoulder. Vajramon suddenly gasped.

"You…Are you perchance the young lady I've heard of? You are the owner of Gallantmon's talisman?" Vajramon asked.

"Why does it matter?!" Statuedramon asked, stepping between Vajramon and me and raising his shield.

"Gallantmon…is one of the most powerful species of Digimon in existence," Vajramon said. "For one such as him to have died is inconceivable, and yet his lust for battle and destruction has allowed him to live on, so to speak, as nothing more than a spirit, ready to be summoned by whoever is fortunate enough to have stumbled upon his Digimon Talisman."

"I wouldn't exactly call her situation 'fortunate,'" Renamon snorted.

"Yes…I am well aware of Gallantmon's volatile behavior. In the realm where Digimon Spirits like Renamon and I reside, there has been much talk about his utterly disgraceful behavior, and many Digimon Spirits, including me, have come to truly pity this sad state of affairs you seem to have landed yourself in. They've heard stories of your kindness and your gentle demeanor, and they eagerly await the day their talismans fall into your hands so as to make up for Gallantmon."

"…I…see…I…I had no idea any other Spirits had heard of me," I whispered. I felt my face become ablush with slight embarrassment, but also a warm joy that filled my heart. I looked up at Vajramon and smiled at him. "But Vajramon, you have to know that I don't consider myself unlucky or anything similar because Gallantmon won't listen to me; I consider him a dear and invaluable friend, just as I do Renamon, and Thomas and Statuedramon, and everyone at Lachesis where I work."

"You…actually consider him a _friend_?" Vajramon asked. "But…it is the duty of Spirits like me to do whatever is ordered of us by those who summoned us; Gallantmon refuses!"

"I am aware, Vajramon; even so, if anything bad happened to him…if he were to disappear and I were never to see him again…I can't even bear the thought of it…"

"Vajramon, you keep saying it is the duty of Spirits like you and me to do whatever is asked of us," Renamon said. "Yet, in spite of this, you have yet to do so; your master ordered you to attack, and all you've done is talk." Vajramon sadly looked toward the ground as he slowly crossed his two giant blades.

"Yes…Please…forgive me," Vajramon whispered. "Deva Blade!" Vajramon crossed his blades and fired an x-shaped energy beam at Renamon, who engulfed her fist in blue flames and punched through Vajramon's attack, making it disperse and shatter.

"You'll have to do better than that if you wish to stop me; I AM a spirit, just like you, after all. We're built stronger than other Digimon of our species," Renamon said.

"I'm well aware of that," Vajramon said, placing his swords back into their sheaths. "I fully intend to use every ounce of my strength to fight for my master…Such is the fate of us spirits…"

"You don't sound all that happy about it," I said. "I don't blame you; your owner isn't a good person. Back when you used to be alive, you must've detested such people."

"…You are correct. I dedicated my entire to life fighting such people, and was killed by a man almost exactly like my owner…and the fact that my soul belongs to such an inhumane son of a—"

"If you're unhappy with your situation, why don't you leave your 'master?'" Renamon asked. "It's not as if we spirits have a contract with whoever summons us; we just do whatever is asked of us by whoever summons us out of obligation, similar to genies being called from a magic lamp."

"But…my owner, he's…there's no way my talisman could ever be taken from him…" Vajramon said. "And you!" Vajramon pointed at me "Why do you consider us Spirits to be your friends?! Spirits aren't alive! We're just tools for Humans and Digimon to use whenever they want; we're weapons! No soldier would ever take time to talk to his or her weapon, would they?!"

"That's a ridiculous question," I said. "I don't consider you or Renamon to be weapons. Sure, you all may have died, and you may feel obligated to do what is ordered of you, but Digimon Spirits all have memories of when they were alive…they have feelings, and they each have their own personalities. In a way, there's really no difference between Spirit Digimon and living Digimon."

"…136 years I've had my soul trapped in a talisman…not once, even when I was still alive, have I ever met anybody like you," Vajramon said. "Even though I risked my life protecting people from bandits like my current owner, I still detested those who I protected because I knew that there was not a single living being that was not, to some degree, selfish." Vajramon looked over in the direction his owner had walked. "But you…even though we've been long deceased, you still continue to treat us as if we were still alive." Vajramon looked back at Renamon and me. "What…should I do? I can't…fight you…it is my master that needs to be vanquished, not someone kind and truly selfless like you."

"It's like I said earlier," Renamon said. "We spirits are not under any contract with whomever summons us; it's more like we're obliged to do so out of appreciation for having been summoned. We are not, under any circumstances, forced to do whatever those who summon us order." Vajramon began steadily looking down at the ground.

"Are these assholes still here?!" Vajramon's summoner asked, walking out from an alleyway riddled with debris.

"Forgive me, but…I am unable to bring myself to harm either this girl or her Digimon Spirit," Vajramon said.

"You can't bring yourself to do it?! How would you know?! You're dead! You don't have feelings! Just do what I tell you!" the bandit yelled. Vajramon stood staring at his summoner. "Fine, I get it; don't like hitting girls, eh? No problem; I'll dispose of them, you get the other two." The bandit jerked his thumb over at Thomas and Statuedramon.

"They are…friends of yours?" Vajramon asked me.

"Yes, they are," I said. "They were the first friends I made that weren't spirits…and they're my….best…friends…" I whispered the last part in a shaky voice.

"…I see." Vajramon once again removed a sword from its sheath and pointed it at his summoner.

"What is this?!" he asked. "You turning on me?!"

"I can no longer allow myself to follow the orders of one like you!" Vajramon said. "When I was alive, I dedicated my life to eradicating Arcadia of scum like you!"

"Fine; then get your worthless ass back in here!" Vajramon's summoner held up his talisman, which began to shine a bright light on Vajramon, who suddenly disappeared. "You worthless piece of crap!" the man tossed Vajramon's talisman over his shoulder. "I can handle you three all by myself!" The man cracked his knuckles and raised an arm, ready to attack, when his arm was unexpectedly grabbed from behind by another person and painfully restrained behind his back. The bandit fell to his knees, revealing that the person who had restrained him was a man roughly the same size as him, though he was wearing a shirt and had short, black hair. I could hear Thomas and Statuedramon gasp when they saw the man's face.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"Adrian?! Is that you, Adrian?!" Statuedramon gasped. The man looked over in the Rookie's direction, smiling when he saw him and Thomas.

"It's been a while, you two; how've you been?" he asked.

"_How have we been_?! You're gone for about four years, and that's the first thing you have to say to us?!" Statuedramon yelled.

"Yeah…I'm sorry I made you worry," Adrian laughed nervously.

"Let go of me, damn it!" the bandit yelled weakly, struggling against Adrian's grip.

"How did you escape? Garret said the last time he saw you, the Valencian Knights were dragging your blood-drenched body off into a forest," I said. "We…never thought we'd see you again…"

"Come on, kid; you underestimate me," Adrian laughed. "I'm a master of hand-to-hand combat! Anyway, how is everyone else doing? What's Garret been up to? Is he being a total dickass as usual?"

"You expected otherwise?" Statuedramon asked. Adrian laughed.

"No, I guess not…"

"I think my arm is broken…" the bandit moaned. He had continued to make attempts to stand up, but he found that he could not.

"And you…you must be new to Lachesis," Adrian looked over at Zelda and Renamon.

"Yes; my name is Zelda. I'm pleased to finally meet you," Zelda said. "I…Yesterday, Thomas told me about what happened to you…"

"Well, personally, I'm just as surprised that I'm still alive as all of you are; pleased, but surprised nonetheless," Adrian said, completely ignoring the squirming bandit. "And you must be Zelda's partner Digimon, right? No, wait…you look a little different than Statch…" Adrian looked back over at Zelda. "Are you a Summoner?"

"…How could you tell?" Zelda asked.

"Well, for starters, Renamon here looks to be more transparent than Statch, and it almost it looks as though she's glowing; it's not easy to see, however," Adrian said. "I've met a couple of Summoners in the past, so I can tell if a Digimon is a Spirit or not just by looking."

"I haven't been with Lachesis very long; just a few days," Zelda said. "I've been looking for my sister for a while, and when I met Thomas and Statuedramon while they were doing a job, they were kind enough to allow me to join them."

"We wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for Zelda; she and her Summoning ability have saved our lives on many occasions," I said.

"A Summoner, huh? That's just amazing…so Lachesis finally has somebody with a talent as rare as _yours_," Adrian said breathlessly as he looked over at Zelda.

"I think I'm dying…" the bandit moaned, having stopped attempting to struggle against Adrian's grip.

"Nobody cares!" Statuedramon yelled.

"Everyone…everybody there believed you were alive this whole time — even Garret," I said. "Now, you can come back with us and prove them all right…"

"Well…I'm afraid I can't…" Adrian said. "As much as I'd love to see everyone again — especially Luna, if you know what I mean — I'm afraid I can't go back with you; at least, not yet. I, uh, have…a few things I need to take care of. When I'm done, though, I'll make sure to come running over as fast as I can."

"What is it you need to do? Is there anything we can do to help you so you can come back sooner?" Statuedramon asked.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you, little buddy," Adrian said. "It's kind of a top-secret thing."

"Don't call me little; only Chrysania is allowed to call me that," Statch said defensively. "After all, BlackGaomon and I are the only ones there who are shorter than her…"

"Ah, Chrysania…I've missed seeing that cute smiling face every day," Adrian said. "Well, give everyone my best, and tell them I'll be back soon." Adrian looked down at the bandit he was still holding tightly onto. "Don't worry about this guy; I'll make sure that he's…properly taken care of." With a final look over his shoulder, Adrian waved goodbye as he walked off, unceremoniously dragging the protesting bandit through the dirt behind him.

"We'll meet again…Adrian…" As our friend vanished from sight, we too prepared to leave the town. "…With the bandit gone, there's nothing left to do here. We should start heading back home."

"Wait!" Zelda said, running into an alleyway. "I just need to get something…" After looking down at the cluttered pavement of the alley, she knelt down and picked something up.

"Is that…Vajramon's talisman?" Statuedramon asked.

"Yes…I just wanted to give him a good home; I hope I'll do." Zelda placed Vajramon's talisman into her satchel. "I'm sorry I made you two wait; let's go."

* * *

**Adrian**

**Yew**

**3 Hours**

I sighed with exhaustion as I opened the door of an ordinary-looking building and walked inside to see that the ordinary-looking bar hadn't changed in the slightest since my last visit a few months ago. To my relief, the interior of the bar was completely devoid of any other people, save for a woman sitting at the bar's counter that I immediately recognized; she had long blond hair and was garbed in a black cape.

"I'm back, Abby," I said. The woman turned around, smiling as she saw me. "You miss me, pretty lady?"

"WAY too familiar there, Adrian," the woman said. Her smile vanished and was replaced with a stern glare. "And call me by my _entire_ name, if you don't mind."

"Fine, fine; apologies, Abigail," I sat down at the bar next to her.

"So, how was the trip?" Abigail asked. "Did you discover anything _intriguing_?"

"Well, apparently, there's a new girl at Lachesis; a Summoner," I said. "Kinda cute, too; looked like she could be your younger sister, Abby—er, Abigail."

"So, she's joined up with them, has she?" Abigail stretched her arms up above her head and yawned. "Shouldn't be THAT big of a deal…though, I did hear a conversation or two between her and that bastard she's always with; about how Digimon notice something different about her…like they do with us."

"Like they do with us…you thinking she might be—"

"I doubt it," Abigail quickly interrupted me. "At least, if she is, she's not aware of it, and being one of us is kind of difficult not to notice. She's probably just…something else entirely…no cause for alarm…" Abigail leaned back on her stool, resting her back on the bar's counter behind her with her hands folded neatly and resting on top of her belly. "So, did you make any more…_enlightening_ discoveries?" Abigail whispered the last part in a seductive manner.

"Not much…well, I did find a rather strong bandit while I was in Mandrake Town; I brought him back with me and immediately took him to Braig." Abigail shot back up and glared at me.

"You took an outsider to Braig without the master's consent?!" she hissed at me. "How could you be so _stupid_, Adrian?! What if he escapes?! Our entire operation could be ruined!"

"Come on, you of all people should know that we need as many pawns as we can get our claws on. Besides, I'd beaten the man to a pulp before taking him to Braig; there's no way anything could possibly go wrong," I protested. "And, if Braig succeeds, then we shall have our sixth pawn…"

"…And if Braig were to fail?" Abigail asked, a smile forming on her beautiful red lips.

"Well, if he fails, then Andy will be getting a new friend," I laughed.

"Andy…? Oh, _him_…Adrian, you really need to start calling people by their real names," Abigail said.

"What do you expect? I can't remember Andy's _entire_ name! It's too long!" I protested. Abigail laughed. "I also heard a few more rumors about our fiery friend," I said cryptically.

"Flamedramon?"

"The one and only," I replied. "Well, technically, there _are_ more than one Flamedramon in Arcadia, but you know what I mean."

"What did you hear about him?" Abigail's voice sounded impatient.

"I've heard rumors that he's headed to the north," I said. "A few surviving eyewitnesses said they saw him heading up to Nymphaea."

"To Nymphaea Province? Why would Flamedramon go there? It's completely covered in ice; nothing that would interest a murderer like _him_!"

"Does it matter _why_ he's going there?" I asked. "The important thing is that he's out of the way — at least, for now, he is. He'll undoubtedly be coming back, which is something that I'm not exactly looking forward to. I really am getting sick of all this laying low and sneaking around so he won't find us…"

"I agree," Abigail had once more leaned back and rested against the bar's counter. "We cannot allow someone like _him_ to get his hands on those members of Lachesis; we need them alive."

"We need them alive," I repeated. "In order for us to fulfill our desires, right? Or rather, our 'lady's' desires."

"Dearest Adrian, you wouldn't happen to be mocking our fair lady, would you?" Abigail asked.

"I really don't think she'd give a shit, so long as we do what she wants," I sighed. "And as long as we get what we want, I have no problem doing what she wants."

"Then you won't mind going back to keep an eye on those friends of yours, then?"

"What?! Again?! Surely, it must be someone else's turn by now! Where the hell is Magnus?!" I fumed.

"Oh, you know him; that lecherous and greedy fool is presumably off with pleasurable company," Abigail climbed down off the stool and began dusting off the back of her cape. "It's what our dear lady wishes of you, Adrian; I'm certain you wouldn't mind doing anything for her…would you?"

"Fine…fine, I'll do it." I, too, climbed off my stool.

"As for me, I've been ordered to head over to Braig's place and give him yet another of our lady's countless requests." Abigail sighed. "Why is it always _me_ that gets sent to that old man's place? He can't keep his eyes off my chest for a second! I don't mind when it's you, or Magnus, or passing-by strangers, but that old man is seriously creepy; he thinks his staring turns me on or something!"

"Not that I blame him for staring or anything," I interrupted. "But, weren't you the one who scolded me into taking pride in our fair lady's demands?" Abigail laughed quietly.

"Yes, you're right." Abigail turned to look at me. "After stopping at Braig's place, I've also been ordered to follow Flamedramon; you said he was heading north, right?" I nodded. "How charming; I simply adore the subzero temperature of Nymphaea…However, with this assignment, I'll not be seeing you for a while, Adrian. I'm following Flamedramon…so if he finds me, we may never meet again…"

"Are you nervous?" I asked.

"On the contrary, I'm quite enthralled! You know I love living dangerously more than anything!" Abigail stared at me, her once lovely smile twisting into a more psychotic one. "Chasing Flamedramon into a place as frigid as Nymphaea on top of the fact that if Flamedramon finds me…it'll be all over for me!"

"You love danger a lot more than I remember," I said. "Idiot; do you _want_ to die?!"

"Oh, of course not! I want to live!" Abigail snapped. "It's the _chance_ I could die that makes me feel so…_excited_! Living dangerously like this…doing the things we do…those who cause death are surrounded by it every day! Work like this, where we risk our very lives in order for us to receive that which we all desire, is the only beautiful work there is…very desirable, wouldn't you say, Adrian? Nothing turns me on more than _this_!"

"Uh, yeah…sure…" Abigail's voice was becoming more and more deranged with each word that passed her lips, as did the look on her face. "Look, just make sure you don't do anything stupid like…I don't know, intentionally getting discovered by Flamedramon, or sleeping naked in the snow, or something, okay?"

"Of course not; there's no thrill in purposely ending my life. If I died, I wouldn't be able to accomplish my goal," Abigail said. "Oh, this is all so enticing, my heart could just _burst_!" Abigail turned to look at me once more, a much less insane expression on her face. It looked almost…sad. "…As I said, with a job like this, I may not see you for a while, if I get the chance to at all."

"You won't die," I said firmly. "You care too much about achieving your goal to give up on life, just as I care about mine, and Magnus his, selfish though his and my goals may be."

"Yes…you're right, Adrian…" Abigail said calmly, closing her eyes. "I'll take my leave of you…for now." Abigail opened her eyes and gave me an intent look. "I _will_ come back, Adrian."

"I believe you," I whispered back as Abigail disappeared in a wisp of smoke as she always did. I smiled as the last traces of the smoke vanished, and I then left the empty building, firmly closing the old door behind me.


	18. Flames of Vengeance

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Lachesis HQ**

**4 Hours**

"We got back here just in time," Statuedramon said, glancing up at the dark orange sky. He looked in vain for the sun, which was out of sight, hidden by the trees. "It's a shame Adrian wouldn't come back with us," he said. The three of us walked through the fort's entrance. "I just hope Chrysania doesn't cry…"

"She seems so happy all the time; I didn't know she could," Zelda said.

"Yeah, I don't blame you," I said. "She's always smiling, infectiously so, in spite of all the terrible things that have happened to her. She _does_ cry, but she only does it when she thinks she's alone." After that, we all remained silent as we walked through the long corridor, soon reaching the lounge room.

"I see Apollomon in there," Statch said. "Good; that'll save us the trouble of having to look for him or wait for him to get back from a job." As we entered the room, Apollomon turned his head and smiled at us while waving for us to go over to him.

"Our honored guests have returned," Apollomon said, motioning his hand at the three people who stood next to him.

"Oh, great…_they're_ back…" Statch moaned disappointedly when he noticed Saias and Lector. Standing behind them was a short old man with a hideously swollen face, as if he had been punched one too many times. When he saw us, he grinned widely, showing that he was missing a few teeth. As soon as he smiled, I noticed Zelda instantly hid behind me, which was when I noticed the old man had been staring at her. I felt the sudden urge to punch the old man, and knock out the rest of his teeth. However, I could not tell where this sudden feeling came from.

"We apologize for the inconvenience, Sir Statuedramon, but our visit is an urgent one," Lector said.

"Aren't you going to introduce us to your…friend there?" Statuedramon asked, giving the old man a strange, slightly repulsed look. The old man, however, continued to smile.

"Oh, yes, forgive my rudeness; this man here is named Braig," Saias looked down at the old man. "He works with us at the military. I guess you could can say he's…been hired by our superiors as a replacement for Ienzo."

"Ienzo?! But he—" I quickly grabbed Statuedramon's snout and held it tightly shut to keep him from talking. I glanced up at the still-smiling Braig, and Statch quit squirming.

_If he's doing Ienzo's work…and he's smiling like _that_…_I shook my head. _This man…cannot be trusted._

"May I ask what business it was that brought you here?" I asked, hoping my voice sounded calm.

"Do you perchance remember the Digimon we told you about the last time we were here?" Saias asked.

"The one that can kill Mega Digimon and make it look easy?" I asked. Saias nodded.

"His name is Flamedramon. We were told he was heading toward Nymphaea Province; at the time we told you about him, that was what we believed to be true. However, last night…one of our armories was destroyed. It appears to have been arson."

"…And you think Flamedramon was behind this?" I asked.

"We have a few eyewitness reports of a Digimon matching Flamedramon's description near the armory. All those in the building at the time of the arson were killed," Lector said. "Naturally, our superiors and comrades thought it was you lot who burned the armory; either that, or they think Flamedramon is working for you at Lachesis, but the two of us know better than to think _that_."

"We're here because we want you to go find Ienzo for us," Saias said. "Find him and bring him back with you. Knock him unconscious if you must, but do not leave without him. It seems a vast majority of the deaths caused by Flamedramon are related to the Valencian Military, so it is possible Flamedramon knows of Ienzo's involvement with the Valencian military, and it is urgent that we place Ienzo under our protection as soon as possible."

"We would've gone ourselves, but we had a feeling some of the other knights could've found this place; some of them think it was you who burned that armory, so there's no telling what they would do if they found this place," Lector said.

"So, you're here to protect us?" Zelda asked.

"We shall do our utmost best, Milady," Saias said.

"Since this is an emergency, I've told them they wouldn't have to worry about payment," Apollomon said. "And I would like for the three of you to do this job."

"_Is he insane?!_" Statuedramon whispered through his clamped snout. "_But I want money…."_

"When you find Ienzo, go to Yew and find Irene and SlashAngemon," Apollomon said. "I've told her the location of a hiding spot for us to hide Ienzo; these two will be going there when you come back," Apollomon looked at Saias and Lector.

"We'll see to it that he's safe," Saias said.

"You three had best leave before Flamedramon finds him," Apollomon said. "Remember, if he burned an armory in Yew, then he's very close by, and there's no telling what will happen when you find him."

"We'll be careful, Sir," I said as the three of us hastily left the fort once again.

* * *

**Lotisea**

**1 Hour**

"His house was around here somewhere, wasn't it?" I asked, looking around the forest.

"Thomas, I think I see it!" Statuedramon pointed into the trees. "Right over between those two thick trees, covered in flames…wait, flames?! I don't think those were there last time…"

"That must've been Flamedramon," I said. "I'm going in; you two, wait here!" I ran up to the house, noticing the door had been forcibly removed from its hinges. I looked into the house's one room, and through the smoke and fire, I could see Ienzo sitting calmly at his table, casually taking a sip from a cup of coffee. "Ienzo, what the hell are you doing?! Get out of here!"

"Oh…hey, Thomas…So, you came back…" Ienzo smiled when he saw me. "I'm fine; you don't have to worry about me. This is…what I wanted, remember? A way to end my suffering…" I ran into the house and grabbed Ienzo's arm just as he fell out of his chair.

"Sorry, but you aren't dying that easily!" I yanked him out the front door of his house. All of his limbs were completely limp, and he had a half-awake gaze in his eyes. He walked with me, and didn't try to fight against me, but it was almost as though I had to drag him out of his burning house.

"Are you two okay?!" Statuedramon yelled. He began to cough violently as he ran up to the burning house, receiving a faceful of thick, black smoke in the process.

"Yeah…we'll be fine…" I continued to drag Ienzo farther and farther away from his house, tightly gripping his arm in case he decided to run back in. "Can you believe this guy?! His house is on fire, and he just sits at his table drinking a cup of fucking coffee!"

"You know, they say you aren't supposed to be in a house when there's a blazing inferno inside, but it wasn't actually that bad," Ienzo sighed.

"Come on, we're taking you back to Yew," I said.

"WHAT?! No! No, I'm NOT going back there!" Ienzo struggled against my grip, but when he couldn't break free, he stopped.

"And when we get you to Yew, our comrade is going to take you far away from both the military and Flamedramon," Statuedramon said.

"So, where am I going, if not Yew?" Ienzo's voice sounded calmer.

"We haven't been told; it was Saias's and Lector's idea, so you can relax; nobody's going to make you go back," Zelda said, giving the worried man a reassuring smile.

"Ienzo, you coward! You told me you wanted to die, and yet here I find you, running away!" the three of us looked around, trying to find who had just spoken.

"Sorry, this wasn't my idea," Ienzo said. "If these guys hadn't come, I really would have stayed in that fire! Honest!"

"So you say…instead of burning down your house, hoping you'll die, how about I actually kill you this time?!"

"No, please! I…I don't want to die anymore!" Ienzo shouted. The man cringed and cowered behind me.

"…You sicken me, Ienzo. Doing what you did…And now, after all of your indulgence in self-pity, you dare beg for mercy?!"

"Who's there?!" Statuedramon yelled. "Show yourself!"

"We've been ordered to keep this man safe and alive; we won't allow harm to come to him!" I drew my sword from its scabbard.

"You mean to face me? I'd like to see how long you last!" A Digimon leapt from the trees of Lotisea's jungle and landed in front of us.

"By Goddess Arcadia…It's him!" Statuedramon said quietly. "Flamedramon!"

"So, you've heard of me," Flamedramon said. "I'm so FLATTERED!" Flamedramon raised his claws and released streams of flames from the palms of his claws, surrounding us in a ring of fire. "For you, there is no escape; there will only be death."

"Why?! What have we done to you to deserve death?!" Statuedramon asked. "We've never even met before!"

"…I've been long rejected by this world, and even killed for it once. Even so, someone or something was gracious enough to allow me to live on in this form," Flamedramon said. "If I am going to be rejected by others, then I shall reject them; by destroying every living being on Arcadia!"

"That doesn't give you the right to murder every living thing that you meet!" I yelled. "You're just lashing it out against total strangers because something didn't go your way!"

"Shut up! You don't know anything! Flame Fist!"

"Dimensional Shield!" As Flamedramon shot a large fireball from his hands, Statuedramon leapt in front of me, sending Flamedramon's attack into the mouth of his shield. "Sword of Dragon's Soul!" Statch swung his sword, releasing a fiery projection from it at Flamedramon. However, the Dragon Man Digimon leapt up and out of the way of the attack and landed behind Statuedramon. "Damn it, stay still!" As Statch prepared to turn around and swing his sword, Flamedramon kicked him in the back, knocking him over.

"You will be the first to go!" Flamedramon formed another fireball in his hands, aiming it at Statuedramon. I ran over to Flamedramon, my sword brandished, but before I could make it, Flamedramon leaped away as a large axe flew past, landing blade-first on the ground.

"Sorry, but I ain't about to let ya' kill anyone here," Garret walked over to and picked up his axe, pointing it at Flamedramon.

"Garret, you jackass, you nearly hit me!" Statuedramon yelled.

"Sorry 'bout that, but at least I got this bastard away from you." Garret glared at Flamedramon.

"So…another Human wishes to test his strength against me," Flamedramon said. "Go on; bring on as many Humans and Digimon as you'd like; none of them will be sufficient enough to best me in combat!"

"Oh, you're quite right; ordinary Humans and Digimon don't stand a chance against you, Flamedramon," Garret said. The man grinned. "_Ordinary_ people don't."

"Why are you here, Garret? Did Apollomon send you?" I asked. _And what does he mean by _ordinary_? Is it just his ego talking?_

"Yeah, he wanted me to make sure this bastard didn't interfere with anything," Garret pointed at Flamedramon.

"Where…is MetalEtemon?" Statuedramon asked. Garret sighed happily.

"…You know that man that was with the two knights? Braig?" Nobody answered, so Garret turned around to face us, grinning sardonically at us. "That man…he can do some pretty amazing things; why, with just one tiny, insignificant sacrifice, he made me the most powerful being in existence!" Garret reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled something out. "Do you know what this is?" Again, nobody answered. "This is called…a Digivice. That man Braig invented them; there are a lot of different kinds of them, too, each with their own different and unique powers! This one in particular is called a Bio Link Digivice; it allows a Human to turn into a Digimon."

"A Human…turning into a Digimon?" Flamedramon asked. "What kind of sorcery does that Human possess?!"

"Just watch and I'll show you! Bio-Hybrid D.N.A. Charge!" Garret slammed the palm of his hand over the top of his Digivice, and instantly, he became enveloped in a bright light.

"That's…the light of Digivolution!" I gasped.

"What the hell is going on?!" Statuedramon asked.

"Bio-Hybrid Digivolve to, BioMetalEtemon!" Just as if he had Digivolved, where Garret stood was now a Digimon. All of us, even Flamedramon, stared blankly at what had just happened. "Oh yeah, now _this_ is power! That Braig is a miracle worker!"

"You can…turn into MetalEtemon?" I asked. "How? How did you do that?!"

"Oh, it was simple, really; all I had to do was kill MetalEtemon; after that, Braig took his data and injected it into my blood!" BioMetalEtemon began laughing maniacally; cracking his knuckles, he turned to face Flamedramon. "This Bio Link thingy allows me to use the data he injected into me to become MetalEtemon! Isn't that neat?!"

"_You…killed your own Digimon partner_?!" Zelda yelled tearfully.

"How could you do that?! He was your friend! He was your _only_…friend!" Statuedramon yelled.

"So what? Friends are only stepping stones to true power," BioMetalEtemon walked over to the still stunned Flamedramon. "Oh, I'm going to make you scream, you little bastard! Metal Punch!" Flamedramon ducked out of the way of BioMetalEtemon's fist and jabbed his claw into the Digimon's face, releasing a stream of flames through the back of his head. BioMetalEtemon fell backward, becoming once again enveloped in the light of Digivolution. BioMetalEtemon disappeared, leaving Garret's still, lifeless body behind, with a gaping, bloody hole where his face should have been was seeping with blood being the only thing I could notice.

_That's the power…this is the kind of power Flamedramon possesses?!_

"Fool; I see now that the man you speak of is no miracle worker," Flamedramon walked through Garret's blood and approached us. "He takes life and twists it into an unfathomable and demented creation of his. Is _that_ a feat which you people see as something miraculous?!"

_No…there's no way…Garret can't be dead!_ Flamedramon walked closer and closer to us, a small flame twisting around his left claw, which he raised slowly into the air.

"My flames consume all there is to consume; there is no hope for escape." Flamedramon began enveloping himself in flames while running toward us. "And soon, the entire world shall go down in flames!"

"Double Backhand!" Out of nowhere, BlackGaomon jumped and punched the side of Flamedramon's head, knocking him over.

"Ah you all okay?" Pheragas ran over to us, though stopped when he saw Garret's body. "…Vut…Flamedramon…did you do dis to our comrade?!"

"And if I did?" Flamedramon stood back up.

"Thomas, go now!" Pheragas shouted, BlackGaomon standing beside him. "Take Ienzo and go to Yew; vind Irene as soon as you can!"

"But, Pheragas, what about you?!" Statch asked.

"You really think you two will distract me long enough for the others to escape?" Flamedramon asked.

"Do not underestimate me; I may be little more dan a Human to you, but I'm strong enough to hold my own against my guild's leader, Apollomon," Pheragas brandished his enormous axe and swung it through the air.

"Really? So, there really are Humans as strong as Digimon like that," Flamedramon said, sounding almost interested.

"You'd better believe he's that strong; I've seen him uproot a tree with nothing but his bare hands!" Statuedramon said.

"Statuedramon, dat vas a tweeg," Pheragas said. "I vas picking it up off of de floor so Chrysania vould not trip over it."

"Oh…well…he _is_ strong enough to uproot a tree with his bare hands!" Statch said vehemently.

"I may not look like much, either, _murderer_," BlackGaomon said spitefully. "But I'm the fastest Digimon you may ever encounter!"

"Come on, we should go, like he said," I grabbed Zelda's and Ienzo's hands and ran in north, toward Yew.

"Pheragas!" Statuedramon shouted.

"Just go! I'll be vine, little vun!" Pheragas shouted, and reluctantly, Statch began running after me.

* * *

**Pheragas**

"Very noble of you to send those four away," Flamedramon said. "Rest assured, once I have finished with the two of you, I will track those four down, and I will slaughter all of them!"

"Only if you make it past the two of us; Rolling Upper!"

"Fire Rocket!" BlackGaomon and Flamedramon's attacks collided; BlackGaomon was sent flying backwards from the force of Flamedramon's attack, colliding into my torso, knocking me over. "Show me! Show me the true extent of your power, Human!"

"Trust me, that isn't something you want to see!" BlackGaomon said as he climbed off of me. I got back up to my feet and picked up my enormous axe.

"If you believe yourselves to be truly capable of defeating me, then prove it!" Flamedramon shouted. "Otherwise, quit wasting my time! Fire Rocket!" Flamedramon, while covered in flames, launched himself at me, and when he was within striking range, I swung my axe. My strike eliminated the flames covering his body and sent the Digimon flying across the air before he hit the ground.

"Nicely done; you got him!" BlackGaomon cheered.

"No; not yet," I said. "'e lives still; in vact, I barely 'it 'im. Do you see any blood on de ground?" BlackGaomon looked at the ground, noticing that the only blood was leaking from Garret's face.

"Not…bad…" Flamedramon stood up, his hand pressed against his right arm. "If you had hit…my head…or my body…I would have died…"

"See?! I told you there was nobody stronger than Pheragas!" BlackGaomon boasted.

"However…I cannot stop…until the entire world goes down in flames!"

"Vhy do you do dis, Flamedramon?" I asked. "Surely, you must have a reason for vanting to kill everybody."

"My reasons…are no concern of yours! Flame Fist!" Flamedramon launched a fireball at BlackGaomon.

"Hah; you think that scares me?!" BlackGaomon boldly asked. "I've been hit by more powerful fire attacks from—"

"BlackGaomon, vatch out!" Just before my partner was hit, I jumped in front of him, getting hit by the fireball in the chest. The pain was intense, and the attack was much more powerful than any I had ever felt from any Digimon, even Apollomon.

"Pheragas, are you okay?!" BlackGaomon asked as I collapsed to my knees, clutching my burnt chest in pain.

"Be careful…BlackGaomon," I gasped. "Dis vun is…almost as strong as Apollomon…maybe even stronger…"

"Now, perish, inferiors! Flame—"

"Arrow of Artemis!" As Flamedramon prepared to attack the two of us, a storm of arrows rained down around Flamedramon. Unfortunately, he was somehow able to dodge them all, but he halted his attack to look for who had attacked him. "Flamedramon…what you say is completely illogical," Dianamon said as she walked up to the shorter Digimon. "Wishing to destroy every living being for a reason you refuse to disclose leads one to believe that you have no reason."

"How dare you?! I have been rejected my entire life, so now I reject everyone else!" Flamedramon shouted.

"So you go around the continent murdering everyone?" Dianamon asked.

"Shut up! I was murdered a long time ago by them, but I have been graciously given another chance at life! I don't know who would have done that for me, or why I was given another chance, but I understand that I must eradicate all life on Arcadia before mankind makes any more mistakes!"

"It is as I said," Dianamon sighed. "You are a completely irrational being; allowing you to survive would be disastrous to everyone. Crescent Harken!" Dianamon swung her hook at Flamedramon, but before she hit him, he jumped away and into the trees, out of sight. "Damn it, he's gone…"

"Do not despair…ve 'ave not seen de last of 'im," I coughed.

"Pheragas, are you okay?!" Dianamon ran to my side.

"I shall be fine…just how many of us did Apollomon send after dose kids?" I asked.

"You know he doesn't like taking chances," Dianamon said. "Can you stand?"

"He was hit pretty hard by one of Flamedramon's fireballs," BlackGaomon said. Dianamon grabbed my arm and hoisted me off the ground.

"That burn looks pretty bad," Dianamon said, looking at my burnt chest and shirt. "I don't know if Luna will be able to do anything for you…"

"Do not vorry about dat," I said. "Let us go back to de fort. Thomas and de oders are searching for Irene in Yew as ve speak."


	19. Bandit Raid

**Sephyrus**

**Cyclamen City**

The inside of the church was calm, tranquil, and cool. Outside, the screams of people filled the air. I sat alone in the church's nave atop the altar as the front doors swung open. "Reportin' in, sir," a bandit walked up to me and saluted. "The third squad jus' finished killin' off everyone in dis miserable city."

"Very good," I said. "Nobody's left alive, correct?"

"Well, a few small Digimon could have escaped without our notice, but we made sure to kill all da big ones, like ya said," the bandit said.

"That shouldn't be a problem," I said. "The smaller ones generally don't have enough of what I'm looking for. You did a good job."

"Thank you, sir."

_Devimon…Abigail just _had_ to go and murder you, didn't she?! Well, no matter; there are other ways of acquiring what we all need._

"Oh, one other thing, sir," the bandit said. "We found dis little girl hidin' in a back room." The bandit opened a door behind him, and in walked a small girl with blue hair.

"…Larraine…"

"Mr. Sephyrus…I'm scared…" The child looked absolutely traumatized; her eyes were wide and her face was stained with tears.

"What should we do with her, sir?" the bandit asked.

"Do not kill this one!" I said quickly. "Just…toss her out into the desert. She'll be a nice little snack for a SkullScorpiomon or something."

"Will do, sir," the bandit said, giving Larraine a revolting grin. "You sure are an okay guy for a priestly guy, you know dat? I wouldn't mind bowin' my head at your church!" I laughed.

"Feel free to worship me all you like," I said. "Regardless, I will have to take my leave of this…disgusting town now. You and your group may do whatever you like with it."

"Oh, man, this'll be great! This is just what bandits like us need; an entire city for us to call our own!" I quietly left the room, ignoring Larraine's cries of protest and the annoying begging for her life that escaped from her mouth as she was carried out of the room by the bandit.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Yew**

**1 Hour**

"Damn it, where is SlashAngemon?!" Statuedramon griped. "Apollomon didn't even tell us where he and Irene would be waiting for us!"

"Maybe we're in the wrong part of the city? It's quite large, after all," Zelda suggested.

"Yeah, I know…I just want to get out of here as soon as possible!" I looked over at Ienzo; he looked quite nervous, and his face was all pale and sweaty.

"Nobody is going to discover your identity; I promise," I said.

"…Yeah…" Ienzo looked around Valencia nervously, giving everyone, Human and Digimon, a suspicious look as they passed by.

"Damn it, where is Irene hiding?!" Statuedramon asked. "This damn city is too damn BIG! We may _never_ find her! Apollomon should've told us where she is!"

"That shouldn't be necessary," I said. "Irene is our scout, after all; finding things is her specialty. Besides, she's been here more than anyone else in Lachesis with SlashAngemon. She should be finding us right about—"

"Now," Irene said from behind me. Statch yelled and jumped when she spoke.

"Your tracking skills are as good as ever, Irene," I said, turning around. "Where's SlashAngemon?"

"He's…on his way back to the castle," Irene said. "He saw you coming…and he decided to head back…"

"My God…!" Ienzo stared intently at Irene. "You! You…So…beautiful! Surely I've been graced with a vision of heaven itself!" Irene's face turned a deep red as she stepped behind me and Zelda. "And not just one, but I've been blessed with the presence of two celestial — nay, _divine_ beauties…Oh, has the loving and beautiful Goddess Arcadia forgiven me for my previously erroneous ways?" At this point, Irene had completely buried her face against my arm.

"Hey, they're a little young for you, don't you think, old man?!" Statuedramon asked.

"Hmm…yes, I suppose you are correct," Ienzo said. "And I'll thank you not to call me 'old man,' Statuedramon; I am only thirty years old! Why, I'm sure that you're even older than everyone here put together!" Ienzo looked at both Zelda and Irene. "Well, whatever; I'm a patient man; I can wait a few years…"

"Thomas, remind me why we're trying to save this guy's life again?" Statch asked.

"We're protecting him because that was the job we were given," I said. "Irene, where is it we need to go?"

"We're taking him to…a town called Paeonia…east of here…near the Cyprus Desert…in Elphierr Territory…" Irene had taken her face away from my arm long enough to speak, though she did so quietly. "If we don't want to cut through Yew…we'll have to go through the Cyprus Desert…around the Adonis River…"

"I thought there was a bridge above the river near Mandrake Town," Ienzo said.

"It's been destroyed," I said. "If you don't want to be here any longer than you have to, then we have to go through the desert."

"…I understand," Ienzo said. "As long as we don't have to be _here_ any longer, I'm fine with it."

* * *

**Cyprus Desert**

**20 Minutes**

"Haven't been here in a while," Statuedramon said.

"Yeah…the last time we were here was when we were leaving Cyclamen City…hopefully for the _last_ time," I said. _Please, don't make it necessary for me go back there again…_

"And there it is, over there!" Statuedramon pointed at the dreaded city. I groaned. It was less than a mile away, and the outline of the buildings could easily be seen through the sand-filled wind.

"Thomas, there's a Digimon approaching," Irene said, looking over at Cyclamen as the form of a small Digimon got closer and closer. "Let's see…it looks like a Poyomon…" The Digimon floated up to us, a frightened look on its face.

"How could you see it from that far away?" Ienzo asked.

"She's our scout, remember? She's got superb tracking skills, and she has the best eyesight of anyone around," I said.

"What's wrong?" Irene asked, holding out her small hands for the Poyomon to land in.

"Bandits…bandits came and they…they killed everyone!" Poyomon whimpered, and looked as though he was on the verge of tears. Hearing that that place was as rundown as Poyomon said it was filled me with an odd feeling of relief that I soon decided to ignore. "I think they're from Thanatos…I only just managed to escape, but not before everyone else was…"

"There, there, little one; please don't cry," Irene whispered gently, placing her hand over the Poyomon's head. "You're safe with us, now."

"Did he say Thanatos?" Ienzo asked. "As in…the strongest, most destructive group of bandits in all of Arcadia?! THAT Thanatos?!"

"How many other Thanatos do you know?!" Statuedramon asked. "…Thanatoses? ...Thanatie? Hmm…."

"We have to get out of here!" Ienzo said. "Before they notice us!"

"What should we do, Thomas?" Irene asked as the Poyomon flew out of her hands.

"Well, Statuedramon and I can go into the city and slit the throats of all those bandits if you and Ienzo are afraid of passing by Cyclamen unnoticed," I said. "If we leave them be, it's pretty likely that some of their own scouts would notice us passing by…and then come after us when we least expect them."

"But if you went in, they'd notice you for _sure_!" Ienzo stated.

"It's really not a big deal; Thomas and I have been fighting bandits like this for over five years," Statuedramon said. "If you don't feel safe walking past that city, we'll _make_ you feel safe." I looked down at him as he spoke, and I smiled briefly. I _knew_ he was smart and brave, but those traits were always overshadowed by his constant hunger and clumsiness.

_Statuedramon…really is the best partner Digimon anyone could ever ask for._

* * *

**Irene**

**Cyclamen City**

**10 Minutes**

"Holy shit…this place is really run down!" Statuedramon said as the two of us entered the outskirts of the city first, followed quickly by Ienzo, Zelda, and Irene. "Are you sure you want to come with me? I know how much you hate this place…"

"I'll be fine," Thomas said. "The reason I didn't want to come here was because…well, you remember that man that spoke to us? Everyone here was exactly like him…including my parents…" Statch nodded. "Well, they aren't here now," I pointed out. "No people, no problem."

"Ah, yes. Say no more," Statch said. "Well, we've been here for like, five minutes; how come none of those bandits have spotted us?!"

"They might all be in the same place," Thomas said. "Don't worry, Ienzo; I'll make sure you and everyone else here remains unharmed."

"…Thank you, Thomas," Ienzo said. We continued to walk through Cyclamen, past the destroyed houses and building, past all the mutilated corpses, many of them missing their limbs of their heads, several of them jumbled together in a pile and the rest scattered here and there, rendered bloodied and unrecognizable by the various cuts and slashes from the bandits weapons, until we finally came to the large clearing at the center of town, which was filled with bandits, both Human and Digimon.

"Shall we?" Statch whispered. Thomas nodded. The two of them readied their swords and ran quietly toward the town's center. They were instantly noticed, and two of the brigands, both Humans, ran at them, though all it accomplished was getting swords lodged deep into their stomachs. They screamed in pain as Thomas and Statuedramon hastily removed their weapons from inside their bodies, alerting the other Thanatos Bandits to our presence. More and more bandits rushed them, though they all suffered the same fate as the first two.

"All of you, ignore dem two!" one of the bandit Humans, who was most likely the leader of this relatively small group, said. "Go fer' dem purdy ladies over dare!" The man pointed at Zelda and me.

"Damn you, if you so much as touch them, you're dead!" Thomas yelled. The bandits, however, ignored him, and a small group of them ran in our direction.

"I sure hope this works," Zelda said, pulling a talisman out of her satchel. "Come forth, Vajramon!" To my surprise, the talisman lit up as the luminous form of Vajramon appeared in front of Zelda, facing her.

"You require assistance, Milady?" Vajramon asked.

"Out of the way, cow! We don't want your beef! We want that girl that called you up!" The same bandit that had spoken earlier pulled out a knife. "Each one of us here's gonna enjoy her sweet, pleasurable company before we watch the blood come pouring from her neck!" At the words of their leader, most of the bandits began laughing, though some of them looked away in disgust. Vajramon's ears twitched as their leader spoke, and, even from a slight distance, I could see his fists clench. The Ultimate Digimon then removed his two swords from their scabbards.

"Nobody...threatens...the lady!" Vajramon roared. He turned around quickly while swinging his two blades and fired a large energy beam that completely enveloped all the bandits in its light. When the attack faded, all the bandits lay on the ground, completely motionless. The Digimon had vanished from sight, and the Humans fell to the ground as charred corpses. Even though they had tried to harm me, seeing them all dead sent a chill down my spine. The smell of their burned flesh made my stomach churn violently, and I felt a nauseatingly sharp pain directly behind my navel that I had never felt before. Vajramon turned back around to face Zelda. "My dear lady, I do hope you remain unharmed. Those vile individuals have done nothing to harm you, have they?"

"No, we're all okay," Zelda smiled. "Thank you for coming, Vajramon." The Ultimate Digimon smiled back at her.

"After that speech you gave me when I belonged to my previous Summoner, how could I refuse anything for you?" Vajramon asked. "If that is all, I will be taking my leave for now. Do not hesitate to contact me if there is anything else you need." Vajramon became enveloped in light and disappeared.

"Zelda, that was incredible!" I said. My amazement at what Zelda was able to do had made all of my pain vanish in an instant. "I've never actually seen anyone do that before; I'm glad I had a chance to!"

"Thank you, Irene," Zelda smiled at me as she returned Vajramon's talisman to her satchel. "I'm glad I was able to help you."

"This is the loudest I've ever heard you talk, Irene," Statuedramon said. My face became red and flushed, and I looked down at the ground immediately.

"I….I'm sorry…." This embarrassment, on the other hand, was something that I was very much used to feeling.

"I think that was all of them," Thomas said. "We were pretty loud, and no one else has shown up."

"It's getting late; we should continue onwards for now," Statch said. He and Thomas took off, followed by Ienzo and Zelda. I, however, remained behind.

"…Thomas…Statuedramon…the two of you have gotten so powerful since I met you all those years ago," I whispered sadly. Beside me, one of the bandits stirred, and suddenly jumped up. As soon as he noticed me, he ran toward me, brandishing a knife. The area instantly became illuminated by a bright light. When it vanished, the bandit lay still on his back with an arrow protruding from his chest. "However…I fear your journey has only just begun." After a small sigh, I ran after my friends.


	20. Next to be Lost

**Pheragas Danved**

**Outside Lachesis HQ**

"We're almost there, Pheragas," Dianamon said.

"Dank you…Dianamon…" I had nearly lost consciousness as Dianamon half-carried and half-dragged me all the way back to the fortress. The severe burning pain in my chest was not as intense as it had been, but was still enough to labour my breathing and make it difficult to stay conscious.

"Hey, Apollomon, we've got a problem!" BlackGaomon shouted as he ran into the fort. Dianamon dragged my limp body over to the nearest couch and instantly set me down on it, and Apollomon was soon at my side.

"What happened? Is he okay?!" Apollomon asked.

"He's fine; he just got hit in the chest by a fireball from Flamedramon!" BlackGaomon said.

"_Fine_?! That's not _fine_! He's lucky to still be alive!" Apollomon shouted. "Luna, go get him something to clean up that wound!"

"Yes sir!" I heard Luna run up the stairs of the fort as fast as she could.

"What happened? Where are Thomas and the others?" Saias asked.

"Thomas vas able to find Ienzo," I said weakly. "Dey should be in Yew by now…looking for Irene…Flamedramon attacked dem, he…killed Garret…" An uncomfortable silence filled the room.

"Garret…is dead?" Apollomon whispered. I nodded slowly.

"He almost…killed dem…and me…Dianamon came just in time…Thomas and de oders vere able to escape in time…"

"Apollomon!" Luna ran into the lounge, breathing heavily. "FIRE!"

"What?!" Apollomon looked toward the witch; her golden eyes were wide with panic.

"I tried…to put it out…but nothing worked! We have to get out of here — now!"

"Damn it, Flamedramon must've followed us!" Dianamon said. "I should've killed him when I had the chance!"

"Don't worry about that now; everyone, get out!" Apollomon yelled. With a little help from Saias and Lector, I was able to get off the couch and run out with everyone else. Standing in front of the fort's entrance was none other than Flamedramon.

"Who wants to die first?" Flamedramon asked. "Perhaps _you_ would like to go first," Flamedramon pointed at me. "I always like to finish whatever I start."

"Nobody has to die today, Flamedramon," Apollomon said. "We can talk about this if you'd—"

"The time for talking ended twenty years ago, Apollomon!" Flamedramon said. "Flame Fist!"

"Solblaster!" Apollomon opened up his palm toward the sky and created a flaming orb in the center of his hand. Flamedramon's attack struck the orb, causing it to swell drastically and increase in size. Apollomon then launched the orb, which, at this point, had grown to be even bigger than Apollomon, at Flamedramon. With nowhere to run, Flamedramon stood and embraced the attack, the brightly shining flames enveloping his entire body.

"Hmph. Not bad…been quite a while since I've felt an attack from a Digimon quite as strong as this," Flamedramon walked through the flames, completely unsinged, glaring at Apollomon. "You could've prevented this, Apollomon. If you had just done your job, someone like me would never have been born."

"What are you talking about?!" Apollomon asked.

"Flame Fist!" Flamedramon unleashed a stream of flames from his claws; all of us ducked, and Flamedramon's attack instead hit the fortress. The entire fort became wrapped in flames, forever disfigured by their glare and destructiveness as it crumpled to the ground in a burned-down heap.

"You bastard! Arrow of Apollo!"

"Fire Rocket!" Apollomon launched two flaming arrows from the jewels on his hands, which Flamedramon allowed to hit him as he became enveloped in his own flames before leaping through the air towards Apollomon.

"ENOUGH!" Saias shouted, stepping between Apollomon and Flamedramon. "If you want to fight someone, let it be me!" Flamedramon fell to the ground, landing on his feet.

"Saias…you're no match for him!" Apollomon said.

"That's not important," Saias said. "It is the job of us knights to protect people. If we had just done our job right…maybe this could all have been avoided…" Saias brandished his large sword at Flamedramon, who began backing away from the knight.

"You…you are just like me," Flamedramon whispered.

"What do you mean by that?!" Saias asked quickly. Flamedramon, however, began to walk away. "Hey, get back here!"

"There is no sense in fighting someone who is just like me," Flamedramon said before vanishing from sight.

"Saias…what does he mean by that?" Lector asked.

"I don't know…" Saias said. "But we should not worry about that right now. Apollomon…what are you going to do?" The Mega Digimon turned around to stare at the fortress; the flames had not yet dissipated, and they had already savagely destroyed the building.

"There's…nothing much we can do," Apollomon said softly. "This fortress has been destroyed. However, it was only a building for us to reside in; Lachesis is made out of its members, not their dwelling. Flamedramon…has accomplished nothing."

"Except for making us all homeless," BlackGaomon noted.

"You don't have…anywhere else you can stay?" Saias asked.

"There is one place," SlashAngemon said. "When I'm in Yew with Irene, we always notice this one house that everyone else seems to avoid going near; we've heard them say it's been abandoned for years, and nobody wants to go near it. They seem to think it's haunted. We could stay there for a little while."

"I…suppose we don't have any other choice," Apollomon said.

"I know the house of which you speak, and I can assure you that it is not, in fact, haunted; after Lector and I return from Paeonia, perhaps we could visit you for…relocation purposes?" Saias asked.

"…What's wrong with that house?" Apollomon asked.

"Nothing's wrong with it; it's just rather old, and it might not be large enough."

"Very well; we accept your offer," Apollomon said. "SlashAngemon, lead the way to that house."

"Lector, we need to get going if we're going to make it to Paeonia in time," Saias said.

"I hope those kids were able to get Ienzo there without any problem," Lector said.

"You have nothing to worry about," Apollomon said. "All things considered, Thomas is probably the most dependable member of Lachesis there is. He may not be as strong as me or Pheragas, but in a battle, there's no one I'd rather have at my side than him."

* * *

**Ienzo**

**Paeonia Town**

**Elphierr Territory**

**2 Days**

The town Thomas and his friends had taken me to was rather small, but I immediately felt right at home. A further sense of relief washed over me when I realized that nobody here would be able to recognize me. I was exhausted from the nonstop walking through Cyprus Desert, and my clothes were covered in sand, as were the clothes of the others and Statuedramon's armor. At the moment, I was simply thankful that I was being led through a hotel, apparently called the Eucalyptus Hotel, to my very own room.

"Saias and Lector have already taken care of the payment, so you don't need to worry about money, and that includes the bar downstairs."

_There's a bar downstairs?! Chick city, here I come!_

"They should be here in a few hours, if I remember what they said correctly," Irene said. Over the past two days, I noticed that she was talking quite a bit louder than she was when I first met her. I could tell she was beginning to feel less shy, but her face would immediately turn red, and she would try to hide it from sight whenever I attempted to flirt with her. The scoldings from Statuedramon were always worth it, though. The punches in the face, not so much, and the kicks in the groin, even less. I made a pass at Zelda once, but when Thomas began glaring daggers at me, I felt that my life was in danger, and I immediately stopped, figuring that the two might be a couple. I noticed the way they looked at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking, and I didn't want to interrupt anything that may or may not be occurring. I might be lecherous, but I wouldn't ever try taking another man's woman. At least, not on purpose…

"This hotel's pretty nice for such a small town," Statuedramon noted. We had to walk up three flights of stairs before we finally made it to my room. There were two large beds, and a single, short dresser with a lamp between them. A huge, glass window replaced the wall to our opposite side, and a glass door led to an outdoor balcony constructed of white stones.

"Thank you for all of this," I said, looking at Irene, Thomas, Zelda, and Statuedramon. "You could have all just left me to die like I wanted, but instead you all worked hard to save my life. I…I don't know what to say…"

"You don't need to say anything," Statuedramon said. "It's all part of being a mercenary; we all help those in need!"

"A very simple, but very admirable philosophy," I said. "If only the Valencian Knights had a similar one…besides Saias and Lector, of course."

"Here's the key to your room." Irene handed me a small, bronze key. "If there's anything you need to know, please don't hesitate to contact us at Lachesis, okay?"

"Well, I'd hate to inconvenience you, especially after all that you've done, but if you're offering, it would be rude of me to refuse, wouldn't it?" I asked. We all said our goodbyes, and the four soon left and I made my way to my room and closed the door behind me. Then I sat down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling.

_Hmm…What should I do while I'm waiting for Saias and Lector?_ An idea instantly popped into my head, and I sat up. "At a time like this, there's but one thing to do; go to the bar downstairs and pick up some chicks!" I smiled at my own brilliance and left my room, walking back down all three flights of stairs and into the bar past the lobby. There were quite a few people there, including two or three Digimon, but not enough for it to be considered crowded. I ordered a small glass of wine from the friendly bartender, and looked around at my options. A young blonde woman in a blue midriff top, vaguely reminding me of Zelda, was walking by. _Oh, goody! I just can't say no to a bare midriff!_ I brushed my hair back just as she passed by, and to my astonishment, she ignored me, and continued walking by. After half a second of dejection, I noticed another young woman, clad in a very short and very tight red dress sitting close by. I smiled at her, but she walked away after paying the bartender. I sulked.

"Aw, don't feel too bad, bud," the rotund, mustached barkeep said with a smile. "You'll find one soon; just don't lose hope!"

"Heh. Thanks for that," I laughed. "Though, I might need a few more of these if all doesn't go well…"

"You got it, bud!" the barkeep set the bottle of blood-red wine nearby. I sighed. After a few minutes, another woman sat down on a stool to my left.

"You shouldn't look so discouraged, you know," she whispered into my ear. "You look much more handsome when you're smiling." I looked over my shoulder at her; long blonde hair, and garbed in a dark cape. Her eyes were red, but what caught my attention the most were here fairly large breasts emphasized by a low-cut top that revealed an ample amount of cleavage, in addition to her navel and a small portion of her midriff. It took every ounce of self-control to keep myself from…from grabbing her…from _fondling_ her…

"See, what'd I tell ya?" I heard the barkeep whisper happily to himself.

"Would you care to tell me your name, love?" the woman asked.

"I…I'm…Ienzo…" She was so incredibly beautiful that I could barely speak. I continued looking at her. Her gray skirt fell to her mid-thighs, leaving the rest of her legs exposed. She wore red, open-toed high heels to complete the perfect visage of her magnificent beauty. I was in complete shock.

"Ienzo…such a lovely name," she said. "My name is Abigail."

"A…Abi…"

"Shhh…you don't need to talk," she whispered, placing a finger over my lips. Her fingernails had been filed into razor-sharp points, and resembled claws, and the one she placed over my mouth nearly cut my lip. "I can see that you're scared, but you don't need to worry. I know _just_ how to deal with anxiety. Would you care to…show me your room?"

"F—For…what?" Abigail smiled. She slowly and seductively slid her hand down the side of her stomach and down to the waist of her skirt, which she pulled down ever so slightly. The black of her panties contrasted well with the light gray of her skirt and the pale skin of her belly. "I…seem to have gotten locked out of my room. Could you maybe…let me stay in your room for a while?"

"I…would be happy to," I said breathlessly. I stood up, and instantly fell to the floor, making Abigail giggle in a very cute manner. I stood straight back up very stiffly. My legs were shaking, so to keep from falling down again, I had no choice but to walk without bending my knees. Up three flights of stairs. It was exhausting enough climbing those stairs _while_ I was bending my knees, but not bending them made it a trying task to be sure. After what felt like an eternity, I finally lead Abigail into my room, and closed the door behind me. Abigail promptly plopped down on one of the beds, directly facing me. She smiled lovingly at me as she held her legs up in the air. I slowly and carefully removed her shoes, gently brushing my fingers across and through her toes as I did, an act which made her laugh gently.

"You are _such_ a gentleman, Ienzo," Abigail whispered as I removed my own shoes and socks. "And now that we're up here…there's something I need to tell you…It's _very naughty…_" I swallowed nervously, and nearly choked.

"Y—Yes…? W—What is it?" Abigail's lovely red lips twisted into a smile. I gasped when I saw what I thought was a fang protruding from her slightly parted lips. I leaped into the air when I heard the closed door behind my open with a loud bang. A tall and muscular young man barged into my room and quietly shut the door behind him.

"Pardon for the intrusion, Ienzo," the man said. "The name's Adrian."

"Is there…anything I can do for you?" I asked. Abigail stood up and placed her bare feet over mine, interlacing her toes between mine. Her skin was soft and cool, and it was a very pleasant sensation, though not as comforting as the feeling of her cheek resting against mine, or the feeling of her fingers running through my hair.

"Yes, this is definitely him," Adrian said. "You did a good job of findin' him, Abigail."

"I—I don't understand," I said.

"Aww, don't worry," Abigail cooed, brushing her hand against my face. "You _are_ pleased to meet me, though, aren't you? You should thank Flamedramon for our little union; I was ordered to follow him around when my master ordered me to tail after you."

"Same with me," Adrian said. "I was ordered to watch after those kids when I got the same order."

"Those kids…you mean Thomas and the others?!" I asked. "Anyway, how do you know my name?!"

"Oh, silly me, have I said too much?" Abigail asked.

"What do you two want with me?!" I asked. Begrudgingly, I tore myself away from Abigail, who cast me a look of hurt. However, I was beginning to suspect that it was a feigned one.

"You know far too much about quintessence, pal," Adrian shrugged. "If that information fell into the wrong hands…like, for example, Flamedramon…well, we'd be in a lot of trouble."

"…Are you here to silence me?" I sat back down on my bed.

"Last we heard, you were praying that someone would come kill you," Abigail said. "Come here…I'll make it…pleasant for you." Abigail sat down next to me. She gently placed her hand around the side of my neck and pulled me closer to her. Her lips came into contact with the side of my face. The feeling left me tingling, and yet, I forced myself to pull away again.

"You brought me up here so you could kill me?!" I yelled. "Where nobody would see…"

"Aw…you don't want to die?" Abigail asked.

"A few days ago, I would've jumped at the chance, but after seeing all the trouble Thomas and the others went through to save my ass…" I shook my head. "I couldn't…dishonor them like that…"

"Oh, it appears our future victim needs some _convincing_…" Once more, she slid her hand down the side of her stomach and pulled down the waist of her skirt to show me a glimpse of her panties. "_Stand up_, and I'll show you a little _more_." With her other hand, Abigail lowered the top of her shirt lower down her chest to further expose her ample cleavage. It was tempting; believe me, I wanted to see more. However, I remembered what I said earlier, and continued to sit on my bed, not moving an inch. "Well, now…this is quite boring; I'd heard rumors you were as lecherous as our comrade, Magnus, and here you are, resisting _me_? I haven't lost my touch, have I, Adrian?"

"Hell, you're making _me_ want to stand up, and I'm already standing." Adrian was gazing absorbedly at Abigail.

"Oh, well; I suppose we'll just have to do this the old fashioned way," Abigail said. "Shame; I hate working up a sweat."

"You can always take a cold shower after this; a nice place like this is sure to have them." Abigail turned to face me.

"Yes…just imagine me taking a nice, cold shower…" Abigail whispered into my ear. "Just imagine all that cold water running down my naked body…Imagine yourself lathering me up with soap…it'll take your mind off the pain…" The next thing I knew, the room became filled with a blinding, white light, and after that, nothing.

* * *

**Saias**

**Eucalyptus Hotel**

**Five Minutes**

"This is a really nice hotel; we should look in to booking a room or two for us," Lector said as we walked up the hotel's sole staircase.

"Let's see…room 398…that was Ienzo's, right?" I asked.

"Yep; here's a spare key to his room that I got from the concierge up front." Lector handed me a key. We soon came to room 398, only to find the door slightly open. "What's going on? Why is the door open?" Lector opened the door and as we walked in, we were greeted by the thick, irony smell of blood. I looked down at the floor, and gasped. There, lying on his back on the floor, was the lifeless body of Ienzo with a gaping hole in his chest. "W—what the hell happened?! Who did this?!" All I could do was shake my head.

"We're too late…the other knights must've found him before we got here," I said. "But how did they know? How could they have found out?" I fell to my knees next to Ienzo's body. "Ienzo…this is all my fault. We were just trying to protect you…why did this have to happen to you when we were trying so hard to protect you?!"

"Commander Saias, what should we do?" Lector asked. His face had gone completely pale.

"I don't know…we should at least give him a proper burial," I said. _Who could've done this?! What the hell is going on?! Is this some kind of a message left by the other knights?_ "…Let's go…Lector. We need to bury him."

"…Yeah…Damn it! And after those poor kids worked so hard to get him here, too!" Lector spat.


	21. Temporary HQ

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Forest Surrounding Lachesis HQ**

**3 Days**

It felt like it had been ages since any of us had been back at Lachesis, and no matter how many times I walked through the forest surrounding the fort, it always seemed to take forever to find it. Maybe it was because all of the trees looked exactly the same, although I suspect it had something to do with the fact that Statuedramon kept on tripping over the trees' roots.

"I see...so that's how Garret died," Irene said, somberly walking between Zelda and me. "I always knew he was…different than everyone else at Lachesis, but I never thought he would do something so horrible to MetalEtemon…" Zelda gently placed her hand on the younger girl's shoulder.

"Personally, I'm just amazed he died in combat," Statuedramon said. "I always figured he'd end up in a ditch somewhere and soaked in rum…Damn it, why'd we have to pick a _forest_ fortress to live in?!"

"I have a feeling everyone else did, too," Irene said, failing to notice that Statch had tripped once again. "…After those two large trees up ahead, we should reach the clearing where Lachesis is."

"I'm glad you're with us, Irene; I'd have gotten us lost if I were leading," Statuedramon said. As we passed the trees, we did indeed find the clearing; however, what little grass there was in the clearing was all black, as if it had been burnt, as were a few of the surrounding trees.

"What the hell…what the hell happened here?!" Statuedramon yelled. As we approached our fort, Statch looked up, then dropped his shield; his face was angrier than I ever remembered it being. My heart sank when I saw what Statuedramon was yelling at; the fortress that served as Lachesis's HQ — the place all members of Lachesis had called home — had been burned completely to the ground, leaving nothing but a large pile of charred rubble and debris.

"Who…did this?" Irene asked tearfully, looking away from the sight as Zelda pulled her into a hug.

"Who else would've done it?! It had to have been the knights!" Statuedramon said.

"It could have been Flamedramon," I suggested. "He destroyed the knights' armory by fire, remember?"

"No…_it was the knights_," Statuedramon said through his teeth. "The knights think we were the ones who set their armory on fire; _of course_ they would want to get revenge! Also, the knights are the only ones who know where this fort was; it was them, damn it!" Statch clenched his fists so tightly, his sharp claws dug into the palms of his hands and they began to bleed. "It…it had to have been them…" Statuedramon fell to his hands and knees, sobbing. "Right…?"

"No need to be _sad_; it's not like any of us were killed when it happened," a voice from above us said.

"SlashAngemon!" Statuedramon leapt to his feet and ran up to the Mega Digimon as he flew down behind us.

"Are you sure? Nobody was hurt or anything?" Zelda asked.

"Yeah, and everyone's present and accounted for," SlashAngemon said. "Well…Pheragas told us about what happened to Garret and MetalEtemon…"

"Pheragas made it back okay?" I asked.

"Well, he made it back, but he and BlackGaomon are both kind of beat up." SlashAngemon turned and looked at the destroyed fortress, sighing. "Well, why don't I take you all to our temporary HQ? You lot and Apollomon can exchange information."

"Wait; what happened here?" I asked.

"It was just as you said, Thomas," SlashAngemon said. "Flamedramon did it."

"That bastard! I knew it had to have been him!" Statch yelled.

"Of _course_ you did," SlashAngemon shook his head. "Well, come on; everyone's waiting for us."

* * *

**Yew**

**10 Minutes**

"_This_ is where we're staying?!" Statuedramon asked.

"True, it's not much to look at, but this way, the knights won't know where we are," SlashAngemon said, opening the door of a small, worn-down, and rather old-looking brick house.

The door had windows on its upper half, but several of them were broken. "On the plus side, there is a basement, giving us a little more room. Also, from what we've been told, nobody's lived here for a while, so we may not have to worry about paying rent or anything." SlashAngemon led us inside to a small, dusty room with a wood plank floor. In the room was a small couch, along with two small wood tables surround by chairs.

"Welcome back," Luna said, sitting at one of the tables next to Chrysania. "Pheragas and BlackGaomon are still in the basement with the others."

"I see." SlashAngemon sighed wearily, and then pointed toward a hallway with one of his arms. "The basement door is straight ahead; you should all speak with Apollomon now." Zelda, Irene, Statuedramon, and I went in the direction SlashAngemon pointed, through the door he mentioned and down the stairs into the basement. Pheragas and BlackGaomon were lying on their backs, and both were covered in bandages and minor burns. Apollomon and Dianamon sat on the basement's floor, looking up at us as we came in.

"Mission accomplished, I presume?" Apollomon asked wearily.

"Yeah, we got Ienzo to Paeonia Town; Saias and Lector should be there by now," I said.

"Forgive me…" Pheragas said weakly.

"Don't talk; you need to save your energy," Dianamon said.

"It's our fault…the fort was destroyed…" BlackGaomon said as he and Pheragas sat up with an effort.

"If ve 'ad finished off Flamedramon vhen ve 'ad de chance, 'e vould not 'ave followed us back to Lachesis," Pheragas said.

"Nobody blames either of you for what happened, Pheragas, BlackGaomon," Dianamon said. "We're just glad the two of you are still alive after fighting a Digimon that could have easily killed me or SlashAngemon…or even Apollomon…"

"We also heard…about what happened to Garret and MetalEtemon," Apollomon was looking down at the ground steadily.

"How much have you heard?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" Apollomon looked up at me.

"Apollomon, Garret murdered MetalEtemon," I said. Apollomon and Dianamon stared at me. "That man that was with Saias and Lector, he was somehow able to convince Garret to murder MetalEtemon; he then gathered up his data and injected it into Garret's blood!"

"…What?!" Apollomon stood up and walked over to me. "You…you must be joking! Garret might have been a lot of things, but he would never murder—"

"After he was injected with MetalEtemon's data, he was given something called a 'Bio Link Digivice' that he used to turn himself into MetalEtemon." After I spoke, there was silence for a few minutes.

"Garret…really did something like that?" Irene asked. I nodded.

"He thought he would be strong enough to fight Flamedramon, but he was killed in a single attack," Statuedramon said.

"And you say that strange man that was with Saias and Lector was the one who did it?" Apollomon asked. "He turned Garret into a…a monster?!"

"That's what Garret said, but for all we know, he could have been lying," Zelda said.

"Yeah, Garret does tend to do that," Statch said. "But one look into that old man's eyes and I knew immediately that he was trouble."

"Saias _did_ say he was Ienzo's replacement," Apollomon mused. "It's highly likely that Garret was telling the truth." Apollomon sighed.

"What should we do, boss?" I asked.

"I'm not sure…we'll have to stay here for a while; we can't go back to where the fort used to be if Flamedramon knows where it is; not to mention, it's been completely destroyed," Apollomon said. "We'll just have to stay here for a while…"


	22. Saias's Villa

**Statuedramon**

**Temporary HQ, Yew**

**3 Days**

We had been in this small, cold, dusty old house for what seemed to be years. As I stormed out of the basement for the tenth time that day and into the house's only room, I suddenly screamed, "When the fuck are we getting out of here?!" Apollomon looked over at me and sighed, though he did so with a sad smile on his face.

"I understand how you feel, Statch," he said. "Trust me; we all do. We all want to get back to our fortress, but we can't — not yet, at least." Apollomon walked over to me, knelt down, and placed his hand over my shoulder. "We'll go back there as soon as we can — or as soon as Flamedramon is dealt with, okay?" I opened my mouth to say something, but as I did, the house's front door opened, and Irene and SlashAngemon ran in, quickly closing the door behind them. "Was there a problem?" Apollomon asked.

"We were out buying food as we usually do," SlashAngemon said. "But…we may have been followed."

"Did they see you come here?" Apollomon stood up and walked over to a window to look outside.

"We aren't sure; there were only two of them," Irene said. "We may have lost them around a corner, but…"

"You don't need to worry," Apollomon said, smiling at Irene. "It's our friends." Apollomon opened the front door, and to my slight surprise and extreme annoyance, in walked Saias and Lector.

_Great, what do they want _now? I thought as the two knights were greeted by Apollomon.

"We apologize for the sudden intrusion," Saias said. "Sir Apollomon, how is Sir Pheragas holding up?"

"Well, he's still having difficulty moving, but he says the pain isn't as bad," Apollomon said. "Also, the burn looks like it's getting better."

"That's good; I was worried about him," Lector said.

_Like hell you were!_

"This house seems quite small for a group as large as yours," Saias said. "If you'd like, I could escort you to a more spacious locale?"

"What do you have in mind?" Apollomon asked.

_Please tell me he isn't actually going to consider this, is he?!_ I stared at Apollomon. _Just because they've helped us out doesn't mean we can trust them; they're _knights_, for Arcadia's sake!_

"I have a private villa that none of the other knights know about," Saias said. "It's just north of this city, so we'll be able to exchange information more easily. There's nobody else residing there, and you won't have to worry about paying me for the privilege."

"Speaking of exchanging information…" Apollomon trailed off.

"Yes, we understand; there are things we must discuss with you, as well," Lector said.

"Would you like for me to take you there?" Saias asked.

_Please don't say yes!_ I looked over at Apollomon, who looked as though he were considering Saias's offer. _Whatever you do, just don't say yes!_

"Yes, I think that would be the best idea," Apollomon said.

_Damn it!_

"Everyone, even me, has been complaining about the lack of space this house offers; a larger house would be much appreciated," Apollomon said. "I'll go let everyone down in the basement know."

* * *

**Saias's Villa**

**15 Minutes**

"Here it is," Saias said after stopping in front of a mansion-sized house. "This is my villa; please feel free to make yourselves at home while you stay here." Lector opened the large front doors and allowed us all in.

_I gotta say; for a knight, this guy sure knows how to live!_ We were all escorted by Saias through the villa and into a very large living room, big enough to contain three times as many people as we had in our group and still be large and spacious.

"I hope you find everything to your liking," Saias said. Turning to look at Pheragas, he gave the large man a concerned look. "Sir, are you all right?"

"I may 'ave been injured by Flamedramon, but I assure you, good sir, dese vounds are noting to be concerned about," Pheragas said.

"We're both feeling better than we were just after the battle against that lizard!" BlackGaomon said.

"Is there…food here?" I asked nervously. Saias laughed.

"Of course there is! The kitchen is over there," Saias pointed down a hallway. "Help yourself to anything you like, and as much as you like, Sir Statuedramon. The same goes for everyone else, too, of course."

_Well…I may not want to be here, but at least I'll get free food!_ In a split second, I ran in the direction Saias pointed.

"Damn it, Statch, you'd better leave some for us!" SlashAngemon hollered after me as he and most of the others followed behind me.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"You aren't going to join the others?" Saias asked me. Lector and Apollomon had also stayed behind.

"No, there is something I need to discuss with you," I said. "About that man that was with you the last time we saw you."

"That's most fortunate; there's something we must discuss with you." Saias looked at Apollomon. "About Ienzo."

"You should probably sit down," Lector said.

* * *

**Zelda**

**5 Minutes**

"Chrissy is amazed you ate all that food!" Chrysania said, her mouth and eyes open wide as she stared at me.

"What do you mean? I ate as much as I normally do..." I said, getting a confused look from Chrysania and Statuedramon, who were both sitting at the same table as me.

"You normally eat five helpings each meal every day?! Shit, woman, where do you put it all?!" Statuedramon asked.

"Well...in my stomach..." The look on Chrysania's face was growing more and more confused.

"But how does your tummy not explode from eating that much? Even if Chrissy's tummy didn't explode from eating that much, her tummy would be thiiiiis big around!" Chrysania spread out her arms as far as she could for extra emphasis. "But Zelda's tummy isn't big at all! Does it hurt?" She lightly poked my stomach, which tickled, and I had to keep myself from laughing.

_Oh, no, I forgot! I can't let them find out I'm a…Come on, Zelda, think of something…something convincing…_"Oh...uh…is it...not normal for people from Celosia to eat this much? Because, I'm actually still kind of hungry..." I turned my face away from the two as my stomach growled with hunger rather loudly. _That sounded so stupid! God, I'm such a stupid, useless idiot! I hope that's a convincing enough lie until I think of a better one…_ I felt my face turning red.

"You just ate five helping; how are you still hungry?" Statuedramon asked. "I mean, of course _I _would still be hungry, being a Digimon, but you…what do you have, like, a black hole in the middle of your stomach that absorbs all the food you eat?"

"Do you ever stop being hungry?" Chrysania asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Oh, I do get full; it just takes a lot of food for me to stop being hungry," I said. Statuedramon sniffled. I looked over at him and saw tears in his eyes. "Are you okay, Statch?!"

"I'm so happy," he said. "I've never once met a Human that understands the painful hunger I have to live with every day! I understand just how you feel, Zelda!"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"Ienzo is…dead?!" I looked at the two knights in shock.

"We found him dead as soon as we walked into his hotel room," Saias said. The higher-ranking knight was resting his forehead in his hands. "I apologize…it seems I made you and your friends waste your time for nothing…"

"No, don't…worry about that," I said. "Do you know…who did it?"

"No; he was the only one in his room when we entered, and we didn't see anyone else leaving the room when we were there," Lector said. "He was stabbed a single time in the chest by a relatively large object; some sort of a spear, maybe."

"And the man that was with us, Braig…" Saias said. "You said he was capable of fusing Humans and Digimon together?"

"We don't know for sure, but our ex-comrade, Garret, said it was him," Apollomon said. "As you said that Braig had taken over Ienzo's work, I think this could be a possibility."

"You may be right…" Saias said. "I'll ask him about it tomorrow. Tonight, I think it would be best if Lector and I stayed here overnight, just in case anything were to happen, and we'll leave tomorrow morning."

"I understand," Apollomon said, turning to look at me. "If that's all, the two of us should join the others at dinner before Statuedramon eats everything in sight."

"Yes, of course; we've kept you waiting for far too long," Saias said. Apollomon and I left the room and headed for the kitchen.

* * *

**Saias**

"Well, that group certainly is a lot friendlier than what we've been told by the other knights," Lector said, looking over into the kitchen at the mercenary group. "A lot nicer than some folk at the military _we_ work at, that's for sure...What do you think, General Saias?"

"…The girl..." I muttered, not looking up at Lector.

"Which girl? There was quite a few of them. They were all so pretty and feminine, not like the ladies where we work..."

"The one with the golden hair...Lady Zelda..."

"Yeah, what about her? Oh! You don't think she took offence to when I thought that she looked like an exotic belly dancer or something while we were coming over here, do you? I wasn't trying to be rude; I was trying to compliment her! Belly dancers are so damn sexy! Wait! Oh, shit, that didn't come out right! I should learn when to not think so much! General Saias, sir, please don't tell anyone about this!"

"Uh, no...This isn't about that, and for the last time; there isn't anyone around who can read your mind," I gave Lector a weird look. "While we were talking to Sir Thomas about Ienzo, did you...happen to overhear the conversation she had with the witch's apprentice and Sir Statuedramon?"

"Yeah, it was kind of hard not to laugh when Statuedramon started crying like that..." Lector laughed.

"No…not that…"

"Oh...then, do you mean how she wolfed down all that food like it was nothing, and was still hungry? Yeah, couldn't believe that myself."

"I couldn't believe it either, Lector," I said. An unusually serious expression appeared on Lector's face.

"Wait...you don't think—"

"That's exactly what I think, Lector. She's exactly like me, down to the same voracious appetite. You know how other Digimon notice how I'm different, right? Since I have it, I can also tell who else might have one; trust me, Lector."

"But...I didn't see it anywhere on her!"

"That doesn't mean she doesn't have it. Perhaps she doesn't wish for her allies to know. I don't blame her; it's scary, being unwillingly born as something that every living thing in the world views as a taboo. It's a worrisome thought, losing all the friends who care about you and love you, and I'd rather not see that kind, innocent young woman experience such pain."

"But, Saias," Lector interrupted. "You told _me_ about yourself, and I didn't fear, loathe, or hate you! You're my commanding officer, but my best friend first and foremost."

"Yes...you're right, and for that, I am eternally grateful. I can only hope that woman has friends like you in their organization."

"I've got another question, Saias," Lector said. "It's about what Flamedramon told you a few days ago. He said that you were like him…what did he—"

"I can only assume that he has it, too," I said. "But Flamedramon…he has an even more distinct presence, different from me or that girl. I'm not sure what to think about him…"

"So...what should we do? About Zelda?"

"Nothing. If she doesn't want her friends to know, then we will respect her wishes and say nothing."


	23. The Dread of Night

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**7 Hours**

I had been lying in my bed for the longest time, trying to get to sleep. The bedrooms of the villa were very similar to the hotel room I had taken Ienzo to. The bed was very soft and comfortable, and I didn't even have to share my room with Statuedramon. I stared up at the ceiling. Moonlight shone in through the window, and I could clearly see everything in the room. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, but it was no use; I just couldn't get my mind off what Saias and Lector had told me about Ienzo. _I can't believe he's dead…who could've done that?_ I kept thinking._ Who killed Ienzo? Who—_ my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening. _Is that the front door?_ I climbed out of my bed and quietly walked downstairs to the front door to see someone leaving the house. As I got closer, the person turned to face me.

"Is that you, Sir Thomas?" It was Saias.

"Yeah; where are you going?" I whispered back.

"There's a small forest behind my villa." Saias and I walked out the front doors of his house so we could speak louder. "I always walk around that forest whenever I have trouble sleeping."

"It's the middle of the night," I said. Saias laughed.

"Yes, it is, but the moon's light is quite intense tonight, so I shouldn't have any problem seeing where I'm going," Saias said. "Would you like to come with me?"

"Yeah; I haven't been able to sleep either," I replied. Saias led me behind his large villa and into the forest. We walked in silence for a few minutes at first.

"So, how do you like being a member of a mercenary guild?" Saias asked.

"It's…I don't know how to describe it," I said. "It's like…I finally have a family; I'm never alone, and I'm surrounded by all my friends on a daily basis. It's true that I am required to kill Humans and Digimon, and I was a little shaken up by it at first, but after about five years or so of doing it, I've gotten used to it; the only ones Statch and I kill are bandits; cutthroats that take the belongings, and oftentimes the lives, of the innocent, so it's not like we're killing people who don't deserve to die or anything."

"I see," Saias said. "I suppose that's what it must be like to be a knight." I looked over at him.

"Aren't you a knight, though? You should know what it's like to be one," I said.

"I only wish things were that simple…" Saias sighed. "Though, I presume that's what being a knight must be like through the eyes of a child aspiring to become one, but believe me, things are never that simple…"

"How come you and Lector don't hate us?" I asked.

"Well, that's quite an inane question; why do you and a small number of your guild not hate Lector and me?" Saias asked.

"Knights…they've always resented us…I understand why they do, even though all we're doing is trying to right the wrongs they've caused, but…" I clenched my fists tightly. "The knights we've encountered before meeting you two…they were the most terrible people we've ever met; they dragged off the body of one of my allies one time; I only learned just recently that he was still alive; they nearly killed Pheragas one time, which is how he came to work for us at Lachesis; and I have no doubt about some of the things they'd do to Irene or Zelda if they ever got their hands on them…I can handle all the insults they throw at me, but when they insult or harm one of my friends, I just…see red."

"As I said earlier, being a knight isn't as simple as protecting everyone," Saias said. "I joined the knights because I wanted to do just that. But sometimes, you need to selfishly protect yourself in order to achieve your goals."

"So, why don't you two hate us?" I asked. "People give you requests for _you_ to do because nobody else will do them; requests to drive off bandits and the like."

"A growing number of people across Arcadia are growing to detest us knights for the abysmal work we've done," Saias said. "And not just in Valencia; this applies to knights in Valneva, Shendu, Elphierr, and Cherifia territories as well."

"Which is why we formed our guild, Lachesis; we steal those requests from the knights before they have a chance to foul everything up, and take the reward away from them, so I can understand why they hate us, so why don't you or Lector hate us?" I asked.

"Because I agree with what you're all doing." Saias looked up at the moon. "So many knights are only knights just so as to get the reward offered by the jobs given, caring little to none about the consequences of their actions, or the safety of the innocents involved. That's another reason why I became a knight; so I could change the way they all think. If I can become Grand Master of the knights, then I would change the way we do things. I would turn our group into one like yours; one that cares more about the innocents than the reward. Of course, Lector feels the same way, and he joined for the same reasons as I."

"A dream like that's going to take a lot of work," I said.

"Yes; it'll be hard enough becoming a Grand Master. Being a Knight Commander, I am one step away from becoming Master, but…so are a few others…"

"…Now that I think about it…the people in the desert province don't have a system like yours," I said.

"Yes…I always used to think them lucky for that," Saias sighed. We continued to walk for a few moments in silence, listening to the leaves crunch beneath our feet and the trickle of a nearby stream, when Saias suddenly stopped and drew his sword.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I heard something," Saias said. "Something big."

"It could've been a Digimon," I suggested.

"This feeling…I've felt it before…haven't I? No…it's different…" The two of us stopped walking; I, too, heard the sound of something moving around the treetops. I could hear my heart racing quicker and quicker as the expression on Saias's face grew more and more worried. "…Sir Thomas…go back to the villa. If I am not back by morning…tell Lector. Tell him to go back to Yew. Now, go!" Saias quickly walked away, holding his sword tightly as he looked around the forest nervously.

"Like hell I'm leaving him alone." I whispered to myself as I ran after him. After running for a few minutes, I found Saias in a small clearing in the forest, swinging his sword at the shadows provided by the trees. "Saias!"

"Thomas! Stay back!" Saias shouted, madly swinging his blade at whatever was in the shadows.

"**You know, you fight well…for a Human…**" a voice from the shadows said.

"So, does that make you a Digimon?" Saias asked.

"**I am neither, and yet I am both at the same time.**"

_No way…I've heard that voice before! But…whose voice was it?! C'mon, Thomas, think! I don't remember it being quite this…intimidating…_

"Yeah, like I'd really believe something as ridiculous as that!" Saias grunted. "Thomas, stay out of the shadows!"

"**Relax; I've no intention of harming the boy; you are the only one who will come to harm…**_**Commander**_** Saias.**"

"If you think that, then you are a fool!" Saias thrusted his sword into the shadows, and a loud, resonating sound echoed, as if something living had been hit, and the voice that had spoken earlier screeched in pain. "Come out of the shadows; I'd like to see the face of the one foolish enough to think he could best me in combat."

"**Why don't you…come here to join me? The shadows are very inviting!**" Saias swung his sword once more, and at once I heard him gasp in shock just as a shining, golden spike tore through his back, staining his shirt with blood.

"SAIAS!" I tried to run over to the knight, but someone grabbed my arm from behind. "Let go, damn it!" I looked over to see who had grabbed me and saw only a shadow wrapped around my arm. I looked over at Saias again just in time to see a pair of glowing yellow eyes in the darkness as whatever it was Saias had fought dragged him into the shadows.

"Thomas…" Saias coughed up a mouthful of blood. "Thomas, listen to me…tell the others…about this…in the morning…tell them to stay away from this forest…tell Lector to…return to the Valencian capital." The knight once again coughed up blood. "I'm sorry…I wasn't able to help you out more…and for…being unable to make my dream…a reality…" The last of Saias disappeared into the shadows. The shadows around my arm vanished, as did what appeared to be the shadows of the trees. I ran over to the spot Saias had been just moments ago; not even his blood remained where it had fallen on the previously shadowed grass. I fell to my knees.

_Why?_ I looked up at the moon. _Why do friends keep dying? And why isn't there anything I can do about it?!_


	24. Braig's Laboratory

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

I had been sitting on the front porch of Saias's villa for hours, unable to get the memories of what happened last night out of my head. What _did_ happen? I wasn't entirely sure myself, and yet everything played back in my mind vividly…especially the yellow eyes I saw in the shadows. They were glowing in the most eerie way I could imagine, and the pupils were thin slits, like those belonging to a Reptile Digimon. I knew I didn't want to sleep; I was sure I would be seeing those eyes the moment I fell asleep. Not that I could sleep, even if I wanted to. The fact that Saias had been killed by such a creature…it was an overwhelming thought. Not knowing what lurked in that forest; not knowing the identity of what dragged off Saias's body...it scared me. _He could still be alive…Adrian was taken away like that, too, and he's still alive..._ I sighed, relieved by this thought until another one popped into my mind. _He lost a lot of blood though…And he was stabbed through the chest…_ I was annoyed by the fact that Saias told me to stay away from the forest, and it didn't make any sense why he would want me to wait until morning for me to tell everyone about what had happened last night. _I guess he just wanted everyone to sleep…after all that's happened lately, they all need to, I suppose, but even still…_ I looked up at the early morning sky. _Saias…how could _Saias_ of all people be dead?!_ The front doors of the villa opened up, and I turned around to see Lector standing behind me.

"All the others are awake; what are you doing out here?" Lector asked. "Hey, have you seen Saias? I can't find him anywhere…" I stood up and walked into the villa. "Are you okay, Thomas?" I shook my head.

"There's something I need to tell you…"

* * *

**5 Minutes**

"Y—you can't be serious!" Lector stammered after the long silence that followed my account of what happened last night. "There's no way I'm going to believe that Saias is dead!" Everyone in the room went silent at the news I had just given them. "He can't…he was…he _is_…my best friend…"

"I saw the entire thing," I said in a firm, but shaky voice. "We went into the woods behind this villa, and we were attacked by…something. I don't know what it was, but whatever it was killed Saias and dragged him off into the shadows; it didn't even leave his blood behind from where it landed on the grass. There wasn't anything I could do to help him…" Lector stared at me for the longest time before resting his forehead in his hands. "I'm sorry…if I weren't so weak, I could have…helped him…" Zelda took my hand in hers, and held on tight.

"It's not your fault," Lector said immediately. "I have no intention of blaming you for…for what happened. It's just difficult to believe…"

"Did he tell you anything before it happened?" Dianamon asked. "Anything about what he was fighting?"

"He didn't seem to know what he was fighting," I said. "All he said before he was taken by the shadow was that he wanted Lector to return to Yew."

"The capital city of Valencia? Why would he want me there?" Lector asked. "That's where we work, of course, but why would he want me to go back so soon?"

"I wasn't told," I replied. "Saias also…he apologized for not being able to help us out more…"

"He did so much for us; why would he apologize?" Apollomon asked. "I never really got the chance to thank him properly…"

"Thank him…" Lector narrowed his eyes as if in thought. "It's Braig!" He exclaimed. "He wanted me to go back to Yew because he wants me to keep an eye on Braig! Neither of us trusted him!"

"You mean Ienzo's replacement?" Apollomon asked. "What reasons did _you_ have for not trusting one of your own?"

"He's doing the job Ienzo had, remember?" Lector asked. "That man…he seems to enjoy his work too much. I've seen him smiling, laughing even, after finishing a job, whatever the hell it is; I'm guessing he wants me to go back there to keep an eye on him for you guys."

"How long has he been working for you?" Dianamon asked. "How long have you known him?"

"He was hired four years ago—practically the day after Ienzo left," Lector said. "Saias and I have known him for quite a while, but we never knew what it was that he did. It wasn't until recently, when we learned what Ienzo used to do, that we began to grow suspicious of him."

"Where does he work?" I suddenly asked without thinking.

"Why do you want to know?" Lector asked.

"Braig is doing experiments on living beings for quintessence, isn't he?" I asked.

"Yes, he is, but—"

"Where does he work?" I asked again. After a moment, Lector sighed, and then took out a small notepad and pencil from his pocket and wrote something down. He tore off the sheet of paper he had written on and gave it to me.

"This is the address of the laboratory where Braig works," Lector said. "However, I strongly advise that you do not go unless it is _very_ urgent. The place is crawling with knights during the day, and who knows _what_ at night."

"I understand," I said. Lector stood up and walked to the front door of the villa. _During the day, huh?_

"I apologize for not being very helpful to you all, but I promise, I will do my best to stop Braig from doing whatever he's doing, and I _will_ find the one responsible for Saias's death."

"You don't need to apologize, Sir Lector," Apollomon said. "You and Saias have already done so much to help us, and for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart." Lector smiled and bowed his head before leaving. As soon as the villa's front doors closed, Apollomon clasped his hand over my shoulder, turning my body so I was looking him in the eye. "Thomas…under no circumstances are you to go to that laboratory. Do you understand?" I had never seen Apollomon look so stern before, and it momentarily caught me off guard. I barely managed to nod, and he smiled. "Good; I know you aren't Statuedramon, so I know telling you something that's common sense isn't necessary—"

"Hey!" Statuedramon interjected.

"—but I just had to be sure," Apollomon said.

* * *

**Yew**

**~12 Hours**

"Can you still read it?" I asked.

"It's pretty dark; it's nearly midnight, after all," Statuedramon held the paper Lector had given me. "My eyesight is better than a Human's, though — no offence, buddy. Even with your glasses, you probably still couldn't read it."

"None taken," I replied.

"With this much moonlight, I can read it just fine," Statuedramon squinted his eyes as he read the directions. "Just one block away, I think…" Statuedramon looked up at me. "Are you sure we should be doing this? I've never seen Apollomon angry before, so I don't know what he'd do to you if—"

"You can go back, if you want," I said. "I won't mind; I can find my way to the laboratory from here."

"It's not me that I'm worried about," Statch said. "You're the one he told not to go; I'm just an idiot! He'd probably say something like, 'Don't take advantage of total idiots like Statch, Thomas!' I probably won't get in much trouble, but what about you? Apollomon could have already sent someone to find us and drag us back by our—"

"He did," a voice behind us said. It was Zelda. "Why did you come here?" she whispered. She was dressed in the same clothes she normally wore at night. Her halter top had been taken off, and she wore only the single, white top she wore around her breasts underneath, although her rather short skirt remained. Also, she was barefoot, looking as though she had left in such a hurry that she didn't properly dress herself.

"I've been asking him the entire time we've been gone, but he hasn't said a word," Statuedramon looked up at me.

"It's hard for me to talk about," I said. "I won't go back just yet; I need to do this. You can try to force me if you wish — I won't fight back, but I'm not going back until I'm done here."

"I see," Zelda said. "Well, if you feel that strongly about it, then I'll just have to go with you."

"Go with us?!" Statuedramon yelled, though I quickly covered his mouth before he shouted anything else.

"We don't know what kind of place this Braig has been working at; I don't want anything to happen to you," I said. "And there's also Apollomon; we don't know what he'd do if he ever got mad. Not even Garret has ever disobeyed an order before he got killed."

"Do you think he'd hurt us?" Zelda asked.

"…No. He wouldn't ever attack a friend. But, still, there's no telling what he'd do, even to you," I said.

"I'm going with you," Zelda said more firmly. "You're both my friends, and I want to help you." After a long silence, I sighed.

"Okay…you can come with us," I said. Zelda smiled.

_Heh. I knew she would smile if I agreed…I just can't say no to her when I know I'll see that smile…_

"Thomas," Statuedramon said. "Can you at least tell us why you want to go into Braig's lab?"

"Fine, I'll tell you," I said exhaustedly. "This may end up being a long story…or not. Either way, you should both make yourselves comfortable…"


	25. Human No Longer

**Zelda**

**Yew**

"It started when I was about five years old, while I was still living in Cyclamen City," Thomas said. "It was…soon after my parents had both been killed by bandits that I was found by her…Victoria Kasuto. She was the woman who taught me how to use a sword. She was beautiful, elegant, and gentle…the complete opposite of my real mother. Victoria just happened to be in Cyclamen when she found me, standing in front of my parents' graves, completely ignored by all the passersby of the city. Even at that young an age, I knew what death was, and I knew it had afflicted my mother and father, but it wasn't until Victoria found me that I cried, not because of my parents dying, but because that was the first time I knew what it was like to have someone care about me."

"Oh, you poor thing…" I whispered.

"How long were you with her when you first found me?" Statuedramon asked.

"…I'd been living with her for three years," Thomas said. "You were collapsed and hungry, as usual."

"I can't imagine myself any other way," Statuedramon said with a proud grin. "I remember her agreeing to teach you how to use a sword the day after you found me as if it were yesterday…"

"She said that part of the reason she took me in was because I reminded her of her son," Thomas said. "She didn't speak about it much, but she did tell me once that after her son was born, she was told the boy had a substantial amount of quintessence, and they took him away from her before she even got to hold him, and was later told he had died. Victoria is the closest person I have to a mother, and the first person who was ever kind to me, and each and every day, she cried about that one terrible happened to her. I just could never understand why this kind, beautiful woman was forced to endure so much pain, day after day, and even when it hurt her, she always smiled at me; all because her only child had been taken from her. She's the reason why I joined Lachesis; I was hoping I'd find whoever took her child, and make them suffer for what they did to her. I just…wanted to do something to keep her from crying…so that she would always be smiling…"

"Thomas…you're so sweet," I said. Thomas blushed, absentmindedly pulled on his beard, and looked down at the ground. _Aww, I've never seen him embarrassed before! How adorable!_

"…She also told me…that the boy's father…was a knight," he continued.

"And that's why you want to go to Braig's lab?" Statch asked. "You think either Braig or Ienzo was involved in her child being taken from her?"

"She was told he had a substantial amount of quintessence; it wasn't until after we took Ienzo to Paeonia that I remembered, and I started thinking about all of this," Thomas said. "Who else would have done something so cruel? I'm going to find Braig, and I'll make him tell me what I want to know. Also…" Thomas turned to look at Statuedramon and me. "I'm hoping to find out something about whatever it was that Saias fought last night. It's my fault he died…if I had just been stronger, then maybe he wouldn't have…"

"Thomas, nobody in Lachesis thinks what happened was your fault!" I walked over to Thomas. "I can understand wanting to find Braig to make Victoria happy, but Saias's death was not your fault, so please…just don't blame yourself for what happened to him, okay?" I reached over and gave his hand a small, comforting squeeze.

"She's right; you can't go blaming yourself each time a friend dies," Statch said. "Even though Adrian isn't actually dead, but…you know what I mean, right, buddy?"

"Yeah…I do," I said. "Well, let's get going, shall we?"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Braig's Lab**

**5 Minutes**

"It's not as…big as I expected," Statuedramon said. "Also, why aren't there any, like, guards or anything?"

"That just makes things easier for me," I said. "I'm going in alone."

"Then why the hell are _we_ here?" Statuedramon asked.

"If we could be of help to you, then you should let us help," Zelda said. "You shouldn't try to do everything by yourself."

"This isn't like when we fought Etemon, or even Devimon." I looked through the front doors of the lab — there were no lights on, indicating that it was vacant. "I don't know if I'll find who I'm looking for in here, but if I do…I don't want you to see what I would do."

"There isn't anything you could do in there that would disgust me or anything."

"I know there isn't, Statch," I interrupted, looking at Zelda. "Can you just…wait for me out here and make sure nobody comes in?"

"Alright, fine," Statch muttered.

"We won't let you down," Zelda smiled kindly at me.

"I know you won't," I smiled back, and then walked into the lab, feeling apprehensive, and yet alert and ready to kill.

_Where are you, Braig?!_ I quietly opened the door of every room and looked in, but saw nobody. The entire building appeared to be deserted. _Maybe this wasn't a good idea. I would have come during the day, but if anybody noticed me walking around a place like this...that wouldn't exactly be the best thing right now…_ I opened yet another door, and was shocked when I saw that the lights were on in this room. I looked in, hiding behind the door, but the room was completely empty. I walked in and instantly noticed a large book lying closed on top of a rather cluttered desk. _It doesn't have anything written on it…no title or anything, not even an author's name…_ I opened the book, and there on the first page, were the words _Quintessence: A Complete Guide on How to Extract It._ "Well, now…looks like I've struck gold. If a book like this is right here in the open, then is Braig teaching others how to do this?" I began flipping through the pages of the book, briefly skimming through the words — not finding any information Ienzo hadn't already told me — when the door behind me slammed shut. Surprised, I closed the book and turned around and saw a strange looking man standing behind me. "W—who are you? You look too big to be a Human…_what_ are you? Are you a Digimon?"

"I…used to be a Human, but now I live here as a Digimon…" the man spoke in a somber, monotone voice.

"I've never seen a Digimon like you before," I said. "Who are you?!"

"That's what I ought to be asking you," the man said. "My name is Andromon…forcefully brought here against my will, and turned into a Digimon, I was…they now force me to guard this place, but it really is not so bad."

"_They_ force you? Who exactly is '_they_?'" I picked up the book I was reading and held it behind my back.

"You know…I never once bothered to ask who they are…" Andromon said.

_He came in just before I could discover anything new about quintessence…I'll have to make this quick!_

"Even I know not the identities of my captors…of those who turned me from flesh to steel…" Andromon began walking over to me. "I have been given orders to eliminate all unwanted intruders…it is a sad life I lead, one I was forced into without consent…I must now do the bidding of those who control all that they desire…" Andromon's right hand began spinning until it turned into a large spike. "My sincerest apologies to both you and those you call kin…but you must fall, right here and now…"

* * *

**Statuedramon**

"Thomas sure has been gone a while," Zelda said. "Are you sure we shouldn't be in there with him?"

"Nah; Thomas will be fine on his own," I said. "It's more important that we keep others from going in while he's in there — if we can."

"Well now, here are a few faces I thought I'd never see again! One of them pretty, one of them not so pretty…" a voice from the shadows said.

"Who's there?!" I yelled. "Show yourself!"

"As you wish…" it was a man's voice that spoke, and as he walked out of the shadows, I began to regret my demands; the man was more than twice my height, heavily muscular, and carrying a large tomahawk. "The name's Boltmon; have you missed me?" Boltmon gazed expectantly at us. "So…you've forgotten me? No surprise there; I guess I _do_ look a lot different than I did before…" Boltmon stuck his tomahawk's blade into the ground and cracked his knuckles. "I'm the man you rudely and cruelly forced out of my lovely Mandrake Town!"

"You?! You…I don't know your name," I said. "But…you were a Human, right?! How did you become a Digimon?!" _What's worse, I've never seen a Digimon like this before! He looks like he wants to fight, and we don't know how strong he is!_

"Are you a Bio Hybrid?" Zelda asked.

"Well, aren't you a smart one, gorgeous? I wasn't aware there was anyone outside this damn lab that knew what that word was, let alone knew we exist," Boltmon said. "What I am is of no concern to you — those in charge of this place wouldn't want a few rats sniffing around, so I've been hired to exterminate vermin like you! Prepare yourselves; I take my job very seriously!"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"Prepare for an untimely demise…Lightning Blade!" Andromon swung his arm through the air and fired a bolt of electricity at me. I immediately held up the book to protect myself, which instantly burst into flames and was immediately incinerated.

_Great; now I'll never know what's in there!_ The book fell to the floor as a small pile of ash.

"That was but a small sample of what you will feel…while I tear your limbs off one by one," Andromon said.

"I doubt whoever is bossing you around will be too pleased over the fact that you just destroyed their precious book." I drew my sword from its scabbard, my hands firmly gripped around its hilt.

"I feel…no fear…" Andromon said. "I feel nothing…no happiness…no anger…no boredom…emotions have all but remained within me as I morphed into this grotesque form…"

_I should be careful…I have no idea what a Digimon like this is capable of..._ "What kind of Digimon are you? I've never seen one like you before!"

"I'm not surprised…I was…recently created…no other Digimon are like me," Andromon said. "Just like my friend…"

"Your friend?"

Andromon nodded. "He should be outside now…dealing with your friends, he is…no doubt, they have already perished…"

"You don't know what my friends are capable of!" I ran up to Andromon and begun rapidly swinging my blade at the tall Digimon, who blocked each swing with the side of his metal arms.

"You waste your time, _real_ Human…my body is composed entirely of steel…a sword shall not cut through my skin. Gatling Attack!" Andromon opened up his chest plate and fired two missiles at me, both of which missed me when I ducked out of the way, and they both crashed into a wall. "You have no hope…of attaining victory while your opponent is _me_…Gatling Attack!" Andromon launched another pair of missiles, and as they flew closer and closer to me, I leaped into the air and, after dropping my sword, grabbed them both and threw them back at Andromon, causing them to explode when they struck him. A small, blazing fire engulfed the Digimon as he was struck by his own attack.

* * *

**Zelda**

"Battle Tomahawk!" Boltmon lifted up his enormous weapon and hurled it at us, though it was so high up in the air that it missed my head by about two feet. The tomahawk soon came flying back to Boltmon, who caught it without even looking. "Hmm…I guess I _am_ a little too tall to be doing things _that_ way…"

"Come forth, Vajramon!"

"_Vajramon_, you say?" Boltmon grinned as the form of Vajramon appeared before me. "How about that; it's been a while, Vajramon! How've you been, buddy? Wait…did that little girl scavenge your talisman after the big guy dragged me away?! That thievin' little bitch!"

"I'll only ask you once not to speak ill of the lady." Vajramon, towering over Boltmon, drew both his swords and pointed them threateningly at Boltmon's chest. "All those who threaten or insult my fair lady shall not live to do so again!"

"Vajramon, would you really turn your sword against your old master?" Boltmon asked.

"Deva Blade!" Vajramon swung his blades and fired an x-shaped energy beam from them that struck Boltmon in the face; the Digimon, however, yawned as the attack hit him.

"Come on; after the shit I've been through becoming a Digimon, there isn't an attack strong enough to hurt me anymore; Battle Tomahawk!" Boltmon leapt up and struck Vajramon across the face with his axe; the Digimon Spirit instantly vanished as Boltmon landed on the ground. "Who's next? Come on; I'm a Mega level Digimon, here; I need a challenge!" Statuedramon stepped forward, though I placed my hand over his shoulder to stop him. He looked up and gave me a confused look as I pulled out another Digimon Talisman.

"Come forth, Gallantmon!" The Spirit of the Exalted Knight Digimon instantly materialized in front of me, glaring down at Boltmon.

"…the fuck are _you_?!" Gallantmon sneered.

"My name is Boltmon!" Boltmon stared, undaunted, up at Gallantmon, despite the Exalted Knight being even taller than Vajramon. "Currently, a Mega Level Digimon; at one point in time, a Human!"

"I don't care; Royal Saber!"

"What the hell?!" Boltmon ducked out of the way of the blast of lightning Gallantmon fired from his lance. "You can't just say you don't freaking care! I used to be a fucking Human, here! Does that not surprise you in the slightest?! I completely changed my freaking species when the big guy dragged me over here!"

"_Adrian_ brought you here?!" Statch asked.

"Final Elysion!" Boltmon narrowly ducked out of the way of Gallantmon's attack. "I don't need to know about the personal lives of my enemies; that information does not help me _destroy_ them! Royal Saber!"

"Battle Tomahawk!" Boltmon tossed his axe into Gallantmon's attack, which created an explosion when the two attacks collided. Boltmon's axe fell to the ground in a charred heap, much to its owner's dismay.

"Pathetic; you claim to be at the same level as me, and yet this is all you're capable of?!" Gallantmon asked.

"I don't understand; the people who made me said I was stronger than any Digimon!" Boltmon whined.

"You said you were originally a Human, correct? There's your answer; nothing as weak as a _Human_, even _if_ they've turned into a Digimon, could dare to have any hope of defeating someone like _me_," Gallantmon said. "I don't feel like wasting any more of my time on weaklings like you, so I'll take my leave of you."

"Wait a minute, where the hell are you going?! You can't just leave us—" Statuedramon asked.

"Where I go is my own damn business!" Gallantmon then faded away and vanished.

"Damn it! What are we going to do now?!" Statch asked. Boltmon walked over to his charred axe and tried to pick it up, but it fell apart into dust as soon as he touched it.

"Shame; I rather liked that axe," Boltmon said. "No matter; I can deal with the two of you on my own! I'll crush your skulls with my bare hands!" As Boltmon began running over to us, a stream of flames burst through his chest; screaming in pain, Boltmon fell to the ground, gasping for air. Standing behind him was a Digimon I'd hoped to never see again.

"The Human girl and the midget Digimon who escaped during our previous encounter; why would you two be in a place like _this_?" Flamedramon asked.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

Andromon walked through the flames caused by the explosion like they were nothing; however, his armor was severely singed, and he was walking more unsteadily.

"I can keep this up as long as I need to," I said. "You, on the other hand, look like you're beginning to tire out."

"I do not understand why…" Andromon said. His breathing sounded more labored. "Somehow…a Human was able to defeat me…"

"…I haven't defeated you yet," I reminded him. "You're still standing, after all."

"I've no more energy left in my body to fight…" Andromon said. "I barely have enough to stand…"

"Well, if that's the case, I'll just be on my way, then."

"Halt!" Andromon shouted. "…You've never been here before…get lost without someone to guide you, you will…"

"Are you volunteering?" I asked. Andromon said nothing, staring blankly at me. "I'll take that as a yes…but why are you helping me? I thought the omniscient _they_ were forcing you to protect this place, not lead an intruder deeper in."

"Very simple, it all is," Andromon said. "They force me to keep intruders out…disobeying them and allowing one in means they will bring an end to my life."


	26. Bio Hybrid Fight

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Braig's Lab**

"They force me to keep intruders out…disobeying them and allowing one in means they will bring an end to my life," Andromon said.

"They'll kill you for disobeying them?!" I asked. "Why would you willingly disobey them, knowing that?! And why would you wait until after our fight to do this?! You could've saved the both of us a lot of trouble, you know!"

"I wish for my life to come to an end," Andromon said. "I told you about what I really am…a Human that was turned into a Digimon…I was originally created to be a Bio Hybrid, but they failed, and I am unable to revert back into my Human form…I live on as neither Human or Digimon…the easiest way to end it all is to be destroyed by my creators…they built me, so they can easily destroy me, but destroy me for no reason they will not…I fought with you to test your strength…stronger than me, you are, but strong enough to destroy me you are not."

"…Okay, fine. I'll…help you," I said. "In return for my help, I expect you to answer all my questions, understood?"

"I shall answer only those that I know the answer to; that I promise," Andromon walked weakly over to the door of the room, which had been forcefully removed from its hinges during the fight. "Come; follow me deeper into the lab."

* * *

**Zelda**

"The Human girl and the midget Digimon who escaped during our previous encounter; why would you two be in a place like this?" Flamedramon asked.

"I am NOT a midget!" Statuedramon yelled indignantly.

"What are you doing here, Flamedramon?" I asked.

"Who's in charge of this place; do you know?" Flamedramon asked.

"I…believe it's being operated by a man named Braig," I said.

"The Humans capable of turning into Digimon…they seem to be after me. I've had a run-in with one of them the other day," Flamedramon said. "I'll destroy this place before it manufactures any more of those freaks…and that man named Braig is going down in flames."

"No…I won't let you…step foot in there…" Boltmon wheezed. The Digimon began to pick himself up off the ground, but Flamedramon shoved his foot on top of Boltmon's head, which slammed it down onto the ground.

"Wait, don't kill him yet!" Statch shouted. "I have a few questions I need to ask him!"

"What I do with this _thing_ is my own business!" Flamedramon snapped his claws, and Boltmon's body became entirely covered in flames. His body then began to disintegrate, leaving behind the body of the man we saw in Mandrake Town. Flamedramon removed his foot from the bandit's crushed skull and walked toward the lab.

_He's…just like Gallantmon…_

"You aren't…going to try and fight us as well?" Statch asked.

"Destroying this place is a higher priority for me," Flamedramon said. "Judging by the fact that you were surprised by your friend's transformation into a Digimon, I'd be willing to guess they aren't allied with you; is this correct?"

"…We don't know anything about this place," I said.

"Come with me, then; I'll need all the help I can get." Flamedramon walked into the lab.

"What should we do, Statch?" I asked.

"Thomas told us to wait here; we can't let anyone else in the lab," Statuedramon said.

"But…we already did let someone in, and that someone is Flamedramon," I said. "Flamedramon the _serial killer_…"

"…Good point; let's go."

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

Andromon had been leading me down a lightless corridor through the lab; it had been a straightforward path, and every now and then, we passed by a dimly lit bulb, just enough of them to provide us with enough light to see through the entire hallway.

"Who was it that turned you into a Digimon?" I asked.

"It was…more than one…" Andromon said. "I never saw their faces, nor do I know their names. The name Braig remains unfamiliar to me…" Andromon opened a door and led me into a room before he suddenly stopped walking, and I bumped into him. "Up ahead lies someone in wait; two of them, to be exact."

"How can you tell?" I whispered. Andromon said nothing, and began walking again.

"They are two Humans," Andromon said. "Something different about them, there is…" The lights in the room suddenly turned on, momentarily blinding me.

"Oh, Andromon, you ruined my big surprise! So, _so naughty…_" a woman's voice said. "Why did you have to lead the boy so far into this place? We needed him alive just a little while longer, but it looks like his end has come…and don't think that you won't be going unpunished, Andromon."

"Why else would I lead this child into this room?" Andromon asked. "Doing so…makes you upset, I knew it would. Upset enough…to kill me, perchance?"

"…So…you've completely given up on life, have you?"

"Who's there?!" I asked, trying to look through the blindingly bright lights.

"Oh, you really don't remember me? Aw, now you've gone and hurt my feelings…" Whoever was speaking to me began walking up to Andromon and me. By this point, my eyes had adjusted to the bright light. The room we were in was nearly empty, save for a bed with a few straps to hold someone in place, and around it, several stasis tubes filled with what appeared to be deep blue liquid. "That was a _very naughty_ thing to do, Andromon; our master won't be pleased _at all_."

"I care not; I only wish to end what you have started," Andromon said. "My life…or, rather, what is left of it…"

"Silly boy; I would never be so foolish as to eliminate our pawn." The woman strode past Andromon and approached me; I felt my knees weaken when I saw who it was.

"…Abigail…? Is that you?" I asked.

"Oh, so you _do_ remember me after all? How…_touching_…" Abigail reached up and placed her hand on my cheek. "I was only seventeen when you left that foul city with that woman. Thomas…why did you leave me behind? I thought we were friends! I was your _only_ friend in that damn city, _remember_?!"

"Abigail, forget about your past; we have work to do," a familiar voice said. Abigail's arm fell to her side as she turned away from me. The man who spoke strode up to Abigail, and the lovely young woman kneeled before him.

"My sincerest apologies, Father Sephyrus," Abigail said.

"Sephyrus?! You're here too?!" I asked. The kindly priest smiled at me as he approached me. "So, you made it out of Cyclamen before those bandits arrived!"

"Bandits…? Oh, yes, them," Sephyrus glanced at Abigail.

"Why are you here? I thought all civilians had returned to Cyclamen when the bandits were defeated," I said, and then turned to Abigail. "And you…when I returned to Cyclamen about a week ago…was it you I saw?" Abigail smiled, and nodded slowly. "What are you both doing here?"

* * *

**Zelda**

"Are you certain you know where you're going?" Flamedramon asked, giving Statuedramon a look of annoyance.

"Of course I am; Thomas is my best friend, and I know exactly which way he would go in this place!" Statuedramon said. "I think…" Flamedramon sighed.

"If you don't want me to burn this place to the ground with your friend in it, you will take me where I want to go!" Flamedramon shouted.

_Why is he coming with us? Didn't he want to kill us earlier?_ I was frightened by being so close to Flamedramon. I could hear my heart beating louder and faster; my legs were shaking so hard, it was a wonder I was still able to walk, and I felt a terribly nauseating sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. As we continued to walk through the brightly lit corridor, Flamedramon turned around to face me, gazing at me with slight curiosity.

"You…you somehow feel…different from other Humans I've encountered," Flamedramon said.

"I…I'm sorry…" These words came out almost instinctively. _He can tell, too?! It's been so long since anybody's noticed, I've almost forgotten about it…_ Unlike other Digimon, Flamedramon didn't seem unnerved by my presence, and instead continued to gaze at me with curiosity. "I'm sorry…"

Statuedramon stopped walking. "Flamedramon, let me make one thing very clear to you," he said. "I know you have this whole vendetta against all living things, be they Human or Digimon, but if I see you even _try_ to hurt her, I will fucking murder you; no matter how much stronger you are than me, I will kill you with my bare hands if you hurt her or any of my friends." Upon hearing Statuedramon's words, Flamedramon turned away from me.

"I…have no intention of killing her," Flamedramon muttered. "It was probably just my imagination, anyway…"

"Ah, very well said, Statch!" said a voice from the shadows of a nearby doorway.

"That voice…is that you, Adrian?!" Statch hollered.

"Yeah, it's me," Adrian stepped out of the shadows.

"You're back! Does that mean you're all finished with what you needed to do?" Statuedramon asked. Adrian approached us, ignoring Statuedramon. "Are you…able to come back with us? To Lachesis?"

_Has he forgotten so soon?_ I gazed at the large man with uncertainty as he approached the three of us. _Boltmon said it was Adrian who brought him here…where he was turned from Human to Digimon…does that mean_—_!_

"Sorry, buddy; I'm not coming back," Adrian said. "There's…something I need to show you. Could you come with me?"

"Okay, sure!" Statuedramon smiled and happily walked behind Adrian as the large man led him further down the corridor. "C'mon, what are you waiting for, Zelda? There isn't anything to be afraid of; Adrian's a good person!" I quickly glanced over at Flamedramon before walking after Statuedramon, and I could hear Flamedramon's footsteps as he walked behind me. "So, where are you taking us, Adrian?"

"I'm taking you to see Thomas, of course," Adrian spoke slowly and nervously, as if he were afraid something would leap out of the deep shadows of the lab and attack him.

_Is it…Flamedramon that he's afraid of?_ I glanced over my shoulder over at Flamedramon, who was glaring at Adrian. _I don't blame him; I'm sick to my stomach with fear about him, too…_

"Thomas should be beyond these doors," Adrian pointed to a pair of doors, near the end of the corridor.

"Thanks for the help, Adrian!" Statuedramon reached up to push the doors open when Adrian smacked his hand away. "What the hell, Adrian? Didn't you say Thomas was past these doors?!"

"Indeed I did, but I cannot allow you to see him," Adrian said. "I was really hoping to keep you two alive a little longer, but since you know where this laboratory is, I'm afraid I'm just going to have to—"

"Fire Rocket!" Flamedramon shrouded himself in flames as he launched himself at Adrian, who pulled a nearby door off its hinges and protected himself with it. Flamedramon crashed head-first into the door before falling to the floor, carefully holding his aching head in pain.

"Flamedramon, what are you doing?!" Statuedramon yelled.

"This man cannot be trusted by anyone!" Flamedramon said as he picked himself up off the floor. "Only by those that are like him!"

"You realized what I am, then? You're pretty smart…for a serial killer!" Adrian swung the door he was holding and struck Flamedramon across the head with it, breaking the door into two pieces. Adrian then kicked Flamedramon in the stomach, launching him through the doors he had prevented Statuedramon from opening. Adrian walked through the doors after Flamedramon, and Statuedramon and I followed quickly after him and into a large, empty room.

"Look, there he is!" Statuedramon pointed over at Thomas, who was standing behind a tall Digimon I'd never seen before.

"Hey, Abigail, Sephyrus, I've brought you something special!" Adrian shouted, dragging the unconscious Flamedramon behind him and holding up his left arm.

"A job well done, Adrian," Sephyrus said. "Now, this nuisance can finally be rid of once and for all."

"Thomas, what's going on?!" Statuedramon yelled. "Who the hell is that woman, and that Digimon that's standing next to you? And what in Arcadia's name is Father Sephyrus doing in a place like _this_?!"

"How _adorable_; your little friend has no idea what's about to happen, does he?" The woman called Abigail looked over at Thomas.

"You ought to enlighten him, then; we owe them that much," Sephyrus said.

"Yes, sir," Abigail reached into her cleavage and pulled out a device identical to the one Garret had as Adrian reached into his pocket and pulled out another one.

"Oh, no…don't tell me they're—"

"Bio Hybrid DNA Charge!" Abigail interrupted Statch and slammed the palm of her hand on top of her device, which was colored black. "Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioLadyDevimon!"

"Bio Hybrid DNA Charge!" Adrian slammed the palm of his hand on the top of his device, which was colored brown. "Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioArbormon!"

"No…no way…" Statuedramon looked up at BioArbormon, who had dropped Flamedramon on the ground. "Adrian…you…you've betrayed us?!"

"Yes, I suppose you could say that," BioArbormon said. "I was promised something by someone important; hell, _all_ of us were promised something in return for our undying loyalty. And in return…we got to become these powerful beings, stronger than Humans AND Digimon!"

"I was promised nothing…" the Digimon standing in front of Thomas said.

"Nobody cares, Andromon," BioLadyDevimon said.

"Adrian, you speak quite a bit too much," Sephyrus said. "You really need to work on that."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," BioArbormon said.

"So…when you were dragged off by those knights all those years ago…you were taken _here_?!" Thomas asked.

"Yeah; I didn't know about it at first, but after I could turn into this guy, I didn't really care anymore," BioArbormon said.

"I've been like this for nearly ten years now," BioLadyDevimon said. "A few years after you left Cyclamen, I was given the ability to Bio Hybrid Digivolve."

"…And what about _you_?" Statuedramon glared at Sephyrus. "Can you Digivolve too?"

"Yes, I can," Sephyrus said. "Abigail and Adrian will be capable of defeating the three of you without my assistance, so I'm afraid you won't be seeing what I can become. After you lot are out of the way, Flamedramon shall be dealt with, and then, the rest of your organization."

"Sorry about this, Statch," BioArbormon said. "…You know what? Actually, I'm not sorry; I've been promised something better than anything anyone at Lachesis could've ever given me!"

"Fire Rocket!" Flamedramon suddenly jumped up off the ground and assaulted BioArbormon, tackling him to the ground. "You, over there!" Flamedramon looked over at the Digimon Abigail referred to as Andromon. "Give me some help!"

"Flamedramon, what are you doing?!" Statch asked.

"What does it look like? I'm saving your sorry asses!" Flamedramon was kneed in the stomach by BioArbormon, who shoved him off and got back on his feet. "You'd better appreciate it; the next time we meet, don't expect any mercy!"

"Lightning Blade!" Andromon turned his hand into a spike and hurled an electric bolt at BioArbormon, who leaped out of the way of the attack.

"Andromon, what are you doing?! You're supposed to be on _our_ side!" BioLadyDevimon snapped.

"We aren't mad at you for leading the boy here, if that is the worry plaguing your mind," Sephyrus said calmly.

"It had come to my realization that you are the only ones capable of ending my pitiful life," Andromon said. "That was originally why I led Thomas here; so you would kill me. But now, after learning the rest of you were promised rewards for your service, while I've been given nothing after all I've done for you, I felt emotion for the first time in countless years; envy, wrath…after all I've done for you, I haven't been given anything in return for my services!"

"You haven't been given anything because you're a failed experiment!" BioLadyDevimon said. "You and that clueless ogre, Boltmon…we shouldn't have wasted our time with either of you!"

"You may not have told me much about what you've all been doing, but I know enough," Andromon said. "You must be stopped!"

"Now you're talking!" Flamedramon said.

"What about _you_? Why are _you_ helping us?!" Thomas asked. "Weren't you trying to murder us?!"

"I only assist you for my own reasons; these guys are a bigger threat to me than your guild," Flamedramon said. "Now, go! Get out of here! Andromon and I will distract them long enough for you to escape! Flame Fist!" After Thomas ran over to us, Flamedramon shot flames from his hands between us and the Bio Hybrids. "Go, now!"

"Come on, let's go!" Thomas said, quickly grabbing my hand and leading us out of the room and through the dimly lit hallways. My stomach was churning and my heart was pounding, but I felt a sense of relief wash over me as we finally found the door to the outside, where we were once again in the light of the moon.


	27. Night of Farewells

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Yew**

**45 Minutes**

"Thomas, can we stop and rest for a moment?!" Statuedramon wheezed. "We've been running ever since we left that lab…" I stopped, looking up at the starry, moonlit sky. It was completely silent, other than the sounds of our footsteps on the sidewalk and our heavy breathing. The ground was wet, and the scent of rain lingered in the air.

"Sorry…I've just been thinking about what happened back there," I said. "Neither of you are hurt, are you?"

"No, we're fine," Statch said. "I'm still a bit confused about Flamedramon, though…"

"I think that should be the least of our concerns…" I said. "Adrian…has he really betrayed us?"

"Yes, he did!" Statuedramon shouted. "The little prick betrayed us, all right?!"

I sighed. "Whatever; let's just get back to Saias's Villa before Apollomon sends someone else to find us."

"Too late; I see someone coming right now," Statch pointed at an approaching Digimon.

"Don't worry; I think it's SlashAngemon," I said.

"I guess we aren't in that much trouble, then," Statuedramon sighed with relief. "If Apollomon was _really_ pissed, he'd have sent _Dianamon_ to get us…" I shuddered. Unlike Apollomon, an angered Dianamon was, unfortunately, a rather common sight. Seeing _her_ get angry was the last thing I wanted to see after what just happened.

"True; you are in no danger of being _severely_ reprimanded," SlashAngemon said as he walked up to us. Behind him was Irene, who looked even more scared and nervous than she usually did. "But do not think you'll get off without being reprimanded at all; after all, Apollomon _did_ tell you not to go, didn't he? And you, Zelda; you were supposed to bring them back, not go with them!"

"Don't yell at her!" I snapped. "…I talked her into going with us. It's my fault, not hers."

"…I understand," SlashAngemon smiled.

"Um…what were you doing there?" Irene asked quietly.

"I wanted to see if I could find the one who killed Saias," I said. "We didn't find whoever did it, but we did find…some other things that were of interest."

"Really, now? And what have you discovered?" SlashAngemon asked.

"We found some more people who could turn into Digimon like Garret," Zelda said. "And among them was Adrian." Irene and SlashAngemon both looked at her with stunned expressions.

"_Adrian_?! You must be joking! Adrian would _never_ betray us!" SlashAngemon shouted.

"He did! That son of a bitch betrayed us, and he's a Bio Hybrid, too!" Statuedramon said. "He's betrayed us, so just deal with it!"

"…That lab is where Humans are turned into those Bio Hybrids," I said. "And if that's not enough to cause confusion, we escaped because Flamedramon helped us out."

"You mean _the_ Flamedramon? The one who's trying to kill everybody? _That_ Flamedramon?" Irene asked.

"That's the one," I replied to Irene, making sure to speak quietly, as I did not wish to upset her. "Though, he did say he was only helping us because it benefitted him."

"What the hell is going on here?" SlashAngemon whispered. "Flamedramon helping you out, Adrian betraying us, Humans turning into Digimon…" SlashAngemon turned his head to look at us. "I'm going to that lab. Thomas, Zelda, Statuedramon, you go back to the Villa. Irene, come with me, sweetie."

"What?! _You're_ going to Braig's lab now?" I asked.

"And after you reprimanded us for going, too," Statuedramon said.

"I apologize for that; I was unaware of the situation," SlashAngemon said. "I'll be careful not to be detected, especially with the possibility that Flamedramon is still there."

"We left close to an hour ago; it's possible they've all left," I said.

"Right; we'll both be back tomorrow." SlashAngemon and Irene took the directions we received from Lector and went to the laboratory.

* * *

**SlashAngemon**

**Braig's Lab**

**1 Hour**

"There doesn't seem to be anybody here…" Irene and I had been walking through the lab for nearly fifteen minutes. "If Flamedramon and the others were still here, we'd probably be hearing the sounds of fighting."

"That's a good point…" Irene whispered

"Irene, are you okay? You seem quieter than usual," I looked at the small girl, who was looking steadily down at the ground.

"I'm…fine…this place…frightens me," Irene said.

"I'm sorry; we'll leave as soon as possible, okay?" Irene nodded slowly. "I won't let anything bad happen to you; I promise."

"…I know…"

"That room over there seems to be empty," I said. "Why don't you go through the things in that room, and see if you can find anything important…" Irene nodded again as she walked into the room I pointed to. "I'll be in the room next door; come get me if you need anything." No reply. I sighed. "I probably shouldn't have brought her here; too dangerous…what was I thinking?" I walked into the room next to Irene's and looked around at the various book lying around on the floor. One book in particular caught my attention. "_Mythos of the…Dark Area_?! What is something like this doing here?! The Dark Area is where all evil Digimon and the souls of Humans go when they die…" I picked up the book — a difficult task for someone with blades for arms — and placed it on a nearby desk, opening it. As I read through the book, I grew more and more confused by its contents, and when I read a particular sentence, my heart nearly stopped. "'It is said that with enough Quintessence, one can open the door to the Dark Area, thereby releasing the darkness within…' Who would want to…do something like that…?" As I prepared to read on, I heard Irene walk into the room, crying. Forgetting about the book, I turned around. "Irene, are you okay?! What's wrong?!" Irene shook her head. "Did…someone find you?" Once again, she shook her head.

"I'm…sorry…" was all Irene managed to say through her tears. My heart sank.

"…No…I should be the one apologizing," I walked over to Irene. "I shouldn't have left you alone when you were so frightened; I shouldn't have even brought you here in the first place…"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry…" Irene repeated over and over.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" I asked.

"I don't…have any choice…" Irene held out a small, trembling hand, and inside it, a strange, blue device.

"Irene…is that a Digivice? It looks like the one Garret had, according to Thomas's description," I said. "Where did you find it?" Irene began crying even harder as she placed her hand over the device, becoming enveloped in a blinding light; when it disappeared, Irene had grown several inches taller, and was wearing a blue evening gown. She no longer looked like the timid, adorable young girl I had grown accustomed to seeing every day; she was now a beautiful, adult woman. She was absolutely gorgeous…Sitting on the ground behind her was an urn overflowing with water and in her quivering hands was, pointed directly at my chest, a bow and arrow.

"I'm…so sorry…"

"…You're with them, aren't you…" Irene nodded, tears quickly streaming down her lovely face. For some reason, I didn't feel angry. It was more like I _couldn't_ get angry. Even though I knew Irene had betrayed us, I couldn't bring myself to hate her. I don't know how to hate somebody I loved so much…

"This is why I didn't want to come here…" Irene sobbed. "I knew you would…discover something…I knew I would be…forced to…to…"

"I understand," I smiled at Irene. "Do what you must to me, Irene. Just get it over—" As I spoke, Irene released her arrow, which found its way into my chest. The impact and the pain knocked me back, and it hit me with a tremendous amount of force; it had nearly torn all the way through my back and hit the wall behind me. As blood came spilling out my wound, I fell to the ground, landing on my back.

"No…oh, Goddess, what have I done?!" Irene dropped her bow and ran over to me. "SlashAngemon! Please, please don't die!"


	28. Shattered Life

**A/N: **Sorry these have been taking so long; college started a little while ago, and that just takes up more time than I'd like for it to :( I will resume posting my chapters on Sundays, so I hope you look forward to them! ^_^

**Irene**

**Braig's Lab**

"No…oh, Goddess, no! What have I done?!" I dropped my bow and ran over to SlashAngemon. "SlashAngemon! Please…please don't die!"

"Irene…do not concern yourself with me…" SlashAngemon, though he was gasping for air, was smiling. "I would never…hate you…I love you…you're like a daughter…to me…and you…deserve all the happiness…in the world…" SlashAngemon breathed one last time, and then lay silent on his back, silent and lifeless. His data flew away, one small piece at a time. I became once again enveloped in a bright light, turning back into my original form.

"What have I done…?" I fell to my knees and screamed. _What have I done?! I just murdered the closest person I ever had to family! Oh, Goddess, what's wrong with me?!_ I ran out of the room, ran as fast as I could away from the room until I bumped into somebody and fell to the ground.

"I thought I heard somebody scream; are you alright, Irene?" I looked up, and through my tears, I saw Abigail. "…You did your job, didn't you..." I nodded slowly, picking myself up off the ground. "Poor thing; that was too big of an assignment for you…" Abigail began wiping the tears off my face. "I'll have to speak to the master about this; you're far too gentle to be doing such horrid things…" Abigail continued to wipe away my tears, and as she did so, I flung my arms around her waist and cried uncontrollably. "There, there, sweet child…it's all over now. You're one step closer to achieving your desired goal…finding your dear mother…" I continued sobbing onto the front of Abigail's shirt. My face was pressed up against her soft and comfortingly warm belly. "Please, don't cry, sweet Irene…our dear little BioAquarimon…"

"What…should I do…? I can't…go back to them…not after what I've done…"

"Don't worry, dear; Auntie Abigail will take care of everything. Everything will be fine…"

* * *

**Braig**

**A Valencian Prison**

**6 Hours**

"What brings you here today, Sir Braig?" a prison warden asked me, beaming with pride, most likely due to the fact that I, a high-ranking knight, albeit a scientist, had chosen to visit _his_ military prison among the many that stood throughout Yew. Whatever the reason, I didn't care. All I was interested in was finding a new…guinea pig. And this prison, specifically made for military deserters and traitors, was the perfect place to find one.

"Oh, nothing special…I just have need of a prisoner for…a special experiment," I looked through the list of prisoners and their information the warden gave me.

"A special experiment, eh? Well, who's the lucky bastard, then?" the warden asked.

"I haven't quite decided yet…" We were passing through cell after cell, each filled with prisoners who glared spitefully as we passed. Each and every one of them had been a knight at one point in their lives. "The one that's all alone here…Clive…why is he alone?"

"He was sentenced for life without parole for serial rape and murder," the warden said. "His main MO was rape, but all he said about the murders was 'accidents happen.' He was secluded from the other prisoners for their own protection, sir, as well as his own. Other prisoners have been known to attack sentenced rapists like him."

"Take me to see him," I said. "I believe I've found what I'm looking for…" the warden led me down a hallway and through a door into a room containing a single cell, with but a single man inside. Clive smiled at as we walked in; an eerie smile, one much creepier than my own; one so eerie, it sent chills down even _my_ spine.

"Good day, gentlemen…what can I do for you today?" Clive asked.

"Knight Errant Clive Howell…serial number 12384…wanted for the rape of countless innocent women…shall I go down the list of your…special playmates?" I read aloud Clive's profile, and began reading aloud the incredibly long list of the names of his victims. "…Amelia Fox…Victoria Kasuto…Amy Crown…"

"Is there a point to your visit, sir?" Clive asked.

"You're being released," I said. "Well, not quite…released from this prison, but you will be taken into my custody."

"…Whatever you say, Chief," Clive grinned at me as he was let out of his prison cell by the warden.

* * *

**Braig's Lab**

**1 Hour**

"May I ask why I have been let out of prison, sir?" Clive asked.

"Sure; you've been chosen as another test subject for one of my experiments," I replied.

"…What kind of experiments?" Clive asked. I turned around to face the taller man.

"Well…If all goes well, you'll have the ability to turn into a Digimon! Isn't that exciting?!"

"A…Digimon?" Clive gave me an odd look. "That's…not possible, is it?!"

"Oh, it most certainly is; I've already had six successes, although one ran away from me quite some time ago, and one is still recuperating. I just fixed him up a few days ago, so he'll still need a few days to rest." I led Clive into a room in the back. It was a large and empty room, save for the bed in the middle of it surrounded by large stasis tubes.

"And…if all doesn't go well?" Clive asked.

"I've only had two failures so far," I admitted. "They were both trapped in their Digimon forms, unable to return to their Human forms like my successes. Worst case scenario is your death, but if you died…" I fastened the straps on the bed around Clive's arms, legs, and torso. "Well, who would miss a rapist like you, eh?"

"Wait! I could _die_ from this?!" Clive asked.

"It's possible; likely even, but you needn't worry," I said. "I'll be careful; _real_ careful. My boss needs as many able-bodied pawns as she can get."

"No, wait! I don't want to do this! I don't want to die!" Clive began struggling in the restraints, to no avail.

"You don't have a say in the matter, Mr. Howell," I held a syringe up against his arm. "The Digimon you become is also random; not sure how it's decided. Anyway, the Digimon my subjects turn into might have to do with the subject's personality. I'll have to look into that one of these days…"

"NO! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

"Too late, rapist." As I inched the syringe closer and closer to the vein in Clive's arm, the entire thing became encased in ice. "What the hell? What just happened?!"

"**I'm afraid I can't let you kill this man.**"

"Who's there?! Who said that?!" I looked over at Clive, who was grinning at me. "What did you do?!"

"Oh, let's just say I sold my soul to the devil." The restraints on Clive also became encased in ice, and he snapped them off easily. "I met him when I was first locked away in that dingy cell…"

"What's going on?!" The entire room was slowly and gradually becoming encased in ice.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that," Clive said. "Very soon…it will all be over for you."

"Wh—" Before I could speak, I, too, became trapped in ice.

"Thanks so much for freeing me, sir," Clive began walking out of the room. "I promise, I'll make your death a swift and painless one." I tried to talk, but my entire body was trapped in the ice. It all happened so quickly, that I didn't have time to notice the chill the ice brought, my inability to breathe, my own panic. Clive snapped his fingers, and instantly, the ice shattered, and with it, my body.

* * *

**Clive Howell**

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" I looked down at the shards of ice and man on the floor, amazed by the lack of blood. I then looked down at my shadow. "Thanks, Satan."

"**I told you not to call me that, asshole! Would Satan freeze people to death?! No! He'd fucking burn them!**"

"Regardless, I appreciate the help. Now, how do I get out of here…?" I began wandering aimlessly around the laboratory until I somehow managed to find my way out some ten minutes later.

"**Just to be safe, I'll freeze over the entire place, to make sure they don't take you back. I can't have my vessel dying on me, after all.**"

"You do that…" I turned my back on the laboratory as my shadow encased the entire building in ice.

"**It will be impossible to melt this ice, even with a fire attack from the strongest Digimon!**"

"Fascinating…now, where should I go…?"

"Hey, you!" A man taller than me carrying a large poleaxe walked up to me. "Did you just ice over our entire base of operations?!"

"No, my shadow did," I said, not bothering to look at the man.

"**I am not your fucking shadow! That's just where I happen to live for the moment! Get it right, asshole!**"

"…Nicely done. I see you've recently been released from prison. Would you like to come with me?" I glanced over at the man. "My name is Magnus; I could give you work…if you're interested."


	29. Victoria

**Zelda**

**Saias's Villa**

Apollomon sat across from us on a couch in the living room of the villa. He looked neither angry nor confused at what we had told him; rather, his face went completely expressionless as we told him about Flamedramon, about Adrian, and about the Bio Hybrids.

"And SlashAngemon and Irene are still over there?" Apollomon asked.

"Yes, sir," I said. "They said they'd be back by now…"

"Geez…I'm going to run out of people to send to that damn place," Apollomon muttered. "Well…I'm glad you three are all safe. Don't you go there again, though, okay?"

"Yes, sir," Thomas said.

"That's what you said last time; how do I know I can trust you when you say that?" Apollomon asked.

"If you didn't still trust us, you wouldn't be talking to us," Statuedramon said. "Believe me; after what we saw back there, I know _I_ don't have any plans of going to that place any time soon."

"I'm glad to hear it," Apollomon said. "Zelda, you told me Irene and SlashAngemon should be back by now, did you not?" I nodded. Apollomon sighed and nervously glanced out a window. "Very well…if they do not return within an hour, I shall send Dianamon to find them; she's outside standing guard at the moment. Now, Thomas…"

"What is it, sir?" Thomas asked.

"There's a woman down in the basement; she claims to know you," Apollomon said.

"…Why did you put her in the basement?" Statuedramon asked.

"It's not like _that_, damn it! Pheragas and BlackGaomon are still injured from their fight against Flamedramon. Luna and Chrysania are in town shopping for food and supplies, and with Dianamon standing guard outside, there wasn't anyone left to treat their wounds. This woman offered to do so while I spoke with you about last night." Apollomon began leading us to a stairway that led down to a door.

"Did she give you her name?" Thomas asked.

"No, but she had long brown hair and green eyes, and she wore a long black coat...kind of like yours, actually, Thomas. She was very beautiful," Apollomon said, stopping in front of the basement door. "Does she sound like someone you know?" Without answering, Thomas opened the basement door and walked in.

"So, this is the guild you told me about," a woman sitting next to a sleeping Pheragas and BlackGaomon said.

"…Victoria…" Thomas smiled wide as he walked over to the woman, and the two embraced. I had never seen him look so happy before; he's always been so serious, so…solemn. It made me feel relieved to know that he was capable of experiencing such an emotion.

"That's the woman he spoke about last night?" I asked Statch.

"Yeah…that's her…" I looked over at Statuedramon, and noticed his eyes were filled with tears. "Even though we weren't hers, she still acted like a mother to the both of us…And even though I didn't need one…" Statch shook his head and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Damn it…I'm over 500 years old…I thought all my tears had dried up…"

"I'm glad to see you're doing well," Victoria said. She had let go of Thomas and walked over to Statuedramon and hugged him too. "I've read all the letters you and Statch sent me, but…reading them is nothing compared to actually being here with you two…"

"Victoria…You look great," Statuedramon smirked.

"Are you kidding me? I've gained like, thirty pounds since I've last seen you two," Victoria laughed.

"Well, considering you were _severely_ underweight then, that could only be an improvement," Statuedramon said. "How were you able to find us?"

"I was at an outdoor Bazaar in Yew when I saw Apollomon, and I recognized him from your description of him, and I thought he might have been the same Apollomon you spoke of," Victoria said. "I haven't received a letter from you in so long; I was beginning to get worried…"

"I'm sorry; we've both been very busy," Statch said.

"We didn't mean to make you worried," Thomas said. "Oh, and before I forget, I'd like to introduce you to our new friend; this is Zelda. She's helped us so much ever since we've met her. Without her, I…I don't think I could've done half of what I did during my missions in the short time she's been with us." At Thomas's words, I lowered my head, hoping nobody noticed that I was blushing.

"Oh, so this cute little thing is also a mercenary?" Victoria asked, looking over at me.

"Yes, ma'am; I try to help out as much as I can. I just hope it's enough…"

"Nonsense; we are very fortunate to have such a gentle and compassionate young woman among us," Apollomon said.

"And she's a Summoner, too!" Statuedramon blurted out. "Oh, sorry, was I not supposed to say that?"

"No, it's okay," I said. "Everyone I've told so far was really impressed with me, and they've respected me; I'm just not used to being treated that way…"

"Well, now…It's been a very long time since I've met anybody with that rare of an ability," Victoria said. "It is said that Summoning is a divine, sacred ability, one bestowed upon the purest of souls, those that have been subjected to terrible hardships in life and yet do not hold any grudges towards those that have inflicted suffering upon them." My heart sank.

_Is that…really why I'm able to Summon? Because of what I am?_

"But, Victoria," Statuedramon interjected. "We ran into a bandit that was a Summoner; a _bandit_ of all people! How was somebody like _him_ able to summon?"

"Well, who said that old legends and prophecies like that always had to be accurate?" Victoria asked. "Do you remember that prophecy about a Digimon called Myotismon?"

"You mean, 'The sky will be darkened by the wings of many bats?'" Statuedramon asked.

"That's the one; about two years ago, I saw a bunch of bats flying around while a bunch of dead people started shouting the name of an undead Digimon king at the hour of the beast, and _I_ sure didn't see any so-called king show up and try to kill everyone!" Victoria said.

…_Wasn't she…fazed in the slightest when the deceased began talking?_

"I have no idea what you just said, but I'm just going to smile and nod," Statuedramon said.

"Well, anyway, I found this a while back, and I wasn't sure what I should do with it…" Victoria reached into her coat pocket and pulled something out. "I'm glad I met you, Zelda. I'd like you to have this." Victoria handed me the Talisman; the design on the front was that of the Digimon Leomon.

"Thank you, Victoria; I promise I'll take really good care of him," I placed the Talisman into my satchel with my other three.

"So, anyway, I've been thinking about joining your little group, Tommy," Victoria said. "You haven't got any objections, have you?"

"You know I could never say no to you, Victoria," Thomas said softly. Victoria giggled.

"Ah, yes…how could I have _possibly_ forgotten about your little…'weakness,'" she said.

"I prefer to think of it as a 'perpetual enamorment,' rather than a weakness," Thomas said. Victoria laughed once more.

"No wonder you were so keen on getting this young lady to join your guild," she said.

"What…do you mean?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing…You know, you really _are_ adorable, just like he said." I felt my face began to heat up when Apollomon interrupted.

"Miss Victoria, you are more than welcome to stay with us for as long as you desire," he said. "You are also welcome to join us, if you wish."

"Well, thank you, sir," Victoria said. "I just might take you up on that offer…"

"Excellent; now, is there anything that you'd—" Apollomon was interrupted when someone began knocking on the basement door.

"Apollomon! Apollomon…you need to see this!" A pale-faced woman stood in the doorway, gasping for breath, and her face was covered in sweat…or tears.

"Dianamon, what's wrong? What happened?!" Apollomon opened the door, and Dianamon fell into his arms, sobbing. "What happened? Are you okay?!"

"R—read this…" Dianamon handed a piece of paper to Apollomon. After reading it, Apollomon dropped the paper.

"…What…the hell? Where the hell did you find this, Dianamon?!" Apollomon asked. I picked up the paper Apollomon had dropped and read it.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Thomas asked, reading the paper over my shoulder. My face had gone completely pale as I reread what the paper had said.

"What's it say?" Statuedramon asked, trying to jump up so he could read it as well. I handed him the note, and as I did, I sank to the floor. I knew what all the words meant, but I just couldn't understand…

'_SlashAngemon is dead. The insect has been felled by our hands. We will all take our time enjoying that cute girl that was with him before we gut her like the mercenary pig she is. The blonde girl gets it next._

_The Honest, Hardworking Knights of Valencia' _


	30. One Survives

**Victoria Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

'_SlashAngemon is dead. The insect has been felled by our hands. We will all take our time enjoying that cute girl that was with him before we gut her like the mercenary pig she is. The blonde girl gets it next._

_The Honest, Hardworking Knights of Valencia' _

"Apollomon…what does this mean? What's going on?!" Thomas asked.

"SlashAngemon and Irene…they've been captured by the knights of Valencia?!" Statuedramon yelled. "We have to go back to Braig's lab! They might need our help!"

"Please, Mr. Apollomon," Zelda said.

"…Fine. I give you three permission to go to that damn place…just make sure you find out what happened," Apollomon said after a moment's thought. "But do not dawdle while you are there; find Irene and…and SlashAngemon if you can, and come back immediately."

"Understood, sir!" Thomas said.

"Victoria," Apollomon said to me. "You ought to go with them. I'm certain they could use the assistance of a swordswoman of your skill."

"Of course, sir," I bowed.

"Come on, we have to go now!" Statuedramon urged. The Rookie led us out of the basement and the villa, and began running as we got outside.

* * *

**Abigail**

"Well, this ought to keep them busy for a while," I said. I sat atop the roof of Saias's Villa, watching Thomas and his friends run to Braig's lab in Yew. Sitting next to me was Irene. "See? I told you I'd take care of everything."

"…Yes…" Irene sadly watched as her friends grew smaller and smaller as they ran off into the distance.

"You don't need to worry about them, dear; nothing is going to happen to them…" I placed my arm around Irene's shoulders and pulled her into a hug. "Braig's lab has been mysteriously frozen over. There isn't anybody there who can hurt them, and the letter I placed on the door of this villa will lead them to believe that it was the knights who took you instead of us."

"…I know…"

_I don't understand, though…who or what made Braig's lab freeze over? Hopefully, that creepy old man died in there…_ Irene slowly placed an arm around my waist and returned my hug. _Poor thing…she just hasn't been the same since she killed SlashAngemon…Not that she really smiled much before…_Irene began sobbing quietly once again. I pulled her in closer and kissed the top of her head.

* * *

**Victoria Kasuto**

**Yew**

**45 Minutes**

"I think we're almost there, Victoria," Thomas said to me.

"I never knew knights would do anything like this," I said. "Do they _seriously_ hate you guys so much that they'd go so far as to harm an innocent little girl?"

"The thought never actually crossed my mind, but I'm not surprised by the fact at all," Statuedramon said. "I swear, if they've hurt one hair on Irene's little head, I'll…I'll…" Statuedramon came to a sudden stop, and began looking around. "Does it…suddenly feel colder to you guys?"

"Not especially; why?" I asked.

"I don't know…it just suddenly feels like I just suddenly walked into Nymphaea…"

"It can't be that cold, or else we'd be feeling it, too," Thomas said.

"Remember, Statuedramon _is_ a Digimon, and a reptilian one at that," I said. "He's more sensitive to atmospheric changes than we Humans are."

"Please don't use my name and 'sensitive' in the same sentence," Statuedramon grimaced. "But seriously, why do I feel so cold all of a sudden?"

"I'm no expert, but I have feeling that this might be why you're feeling cold, Statch," Thomas said. "Look over there." Thomas pointed at what appeared to be a large building completely encased in ice.

"Wait a minute…isn't that Braig's lab?!" Zelda asked.

"What the hell happened here?!" Statch asked. "Come on, let's go in; Irene might be—"

"No, don't…you can't…go in there…" a young man near Thomas's age and height was limping weakly over to us.

"Hey, are you okay?!" I ran up to the young man and helped him stand up, placing his arm around my shoulders.

"You mustn't go to that place…those who touch the ice are killed instantly…I just barely made it out in time…"

"What were you doing in that place? Did you work there?" Thomas asked. "Or were you—"

"Yes…I was one of the scientist's test subjects. My name is Michalis…" As I got a brief glimpse of the back of the boy's right hand, my heart immediately skipped a beat; on the back of his hand was an x-shaped birthmark.

_Just like the one my baby had!_

"I can't remember how I found my way to this place; I've been here for as long as I can remember," Michalis said. "I can't remember very much of my life, though; it's all the same…just one big blur…"

"Was there anyone else in the building when it froze over?!" Statuedramon asked. "A Digimon called SlashAngemon? A small girl with black hair, maybe? Perhaps a few Valencian Knights?"

"…As far as I know, I was the only test subject…a few scientists may have been there," Michalis said. "But I was definitely the last remaining subject of theirs…if there were any knights, they would've been with the scientists that were about to preform another test on me just before the entire place froze over. The ice…it came so fast…"

"Where do you live, Michalis? Your parents must be worried about you," I said.

"I…I don't know…I'm not sure if I even have any parents…"

"Do you know your last name?" I asked.

"I don't know anything about myself…other than my first name…"

"Is there anything we can to do help you?" Statuedramon asked.

"No, I…I don't need any help." Michalis removed his arm from my shoulders, and began staggering away. "I only came to warn you about this place…Please…just get away from this place!" Michalis slumped against a brick wall, nearly falling over, but still he continued to walk away from us.

"Michalis, wait!" I began running after him as a large poleaxe was flung, lodging itself into the wall in front of Michalis.

"Who's there?!" Thomas shouted, drawing his sword quicker than I had ever seen him.

_The time he's spent with that mercenary guild has done wonders for his skills and reflexes, I see…_

"No need to shout; we were going to show ourselves eventually," a large, well-built man, followed by a smaller, scrawny, pale-skinned man, walked out of an alleyway. "We got business with the kid; we aren't here for you." The larger man removed his poleax from the wall - a feat that would have proved difficult for anyone else, and yet one he pulled off with remarkable ease - and pointed it at Michalis. "I'd come with me if I were you, kid; you don't want to see my boss get pissed."

"Boss?" Thomas walked over to the two men. "Do you two work with Abigail and Adrian?"

"Oh, so you've met those clowns, have you? Well, allow me to introduce myself; my name is Magnus, and this little guy behind me is called Clive," Magnus said. My heart froze as the man called Clive stared directly at me, grinning.

_No…no, it can't be him…_

"So, what were you promised for joining the cult of the deaf, dumb, and blind?" Statuedramon asked.

"I suppose I _could_ tell you…" Magnus traced his fingers over the two gold bands around his left arm. "I love money, and I _want_ money; lots of it. The lady boss promised me all the money I could ever want!" As Magnus continued to ramble about money, Clive's eyes were fixated, staring unblinkingly at me.

"Well, hello there; we've met somewhere before, haven't we?" Clive asked me. He stared straight into my eyes.

"No…you were taken in…they locked you away forever…" Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. "What are you doing here?! Why have you been released?!"

"I hardly think that's any of your business, my dear," Clive laughed.

"Victoria, who is that man?" Thomas asked.

"…The man named Clive…" I began to grow dizzy just thinking of the man…and what he did. "He was the man who raped me almost nineteen years ago."


	31. The Rapist

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Outside Braig's Lab**

"The man named Clive…he was the man who raped me almost nineteen years ago." The news came as quite a shock to me, but at the same time, it made perfect sense; after all, Victoria had never once mentioned being married, and the one time she told me and Statuedramon about the loss of her child, she never mentioned who the father was, other than the fact that he was a knight.

"Well then, it seems I've made quite an impression," Clive said. His grin was absolutely sickening. Victoria's face was completely colorless as the man began walking toward us, and she didn't respond to his words as she fell to her knees. "Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but apparently, that's not my job!" Clive looked spitefully over his shoulder at Magnus.

"If you want the money I promised you, then you will do what I asked of you," Magnus said. "But know this; I did not ask for your help because I sympathized with you, nor did I do it because I approve of what you've done in the past, you worm. I asked for your help because I needed it from _somebody_, so if you don't do what I tell you to, you can be easily replaced."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it," Clive said, rolling his eyes. "Sorry, kid, but you're going to have to come with us." Clive grabbed Michalis's arm and twisted it behind the kid's back. Michalis's face became contorted with agony as Clive pulled him away. "Maybe, when I have a day off, Victoria, you and I can—"

"That's ENOUGH!" I drew my sword and thrust it into the lower part of Clive's back. His grip on Michalis's arm immediately loosened as he fell to the ground, screaming in pain as he clutched the bleeding wound my sword made.

"It pains me to have to dirty my blade with the blood of someone like you," I said. "But if that's what must be done, then I'll do so without a second thought." I began to remove my weapon from Clive's back, and as I did so, the entire blade became encased in ice, as did the wound it made. "What…the hell?! What did you do?!" When Clive opened his mouth to speak, his voice sounded much darker, not at all like the relatively quiet voice he normally spoke with; this one sounded much more menacing, and was much deeper than before.

"**My vessel's life was being endangered; I simply did what I had to so that the two of us could continue living. Oh, here's your toy, by the way.**" Clive stood back up and pulled my sword out of his back and dropped it on the ground in front of me, causing the ice covering the blade to shatter. My sword managed to escape unscratched, and I could see the wound on Clive's back close up with ice. "**Now, which of you wish to be the first to be forever subjected to my frozen hell?!**"

"Clive," Magnus placed his hand over Clive's shoulder. "Or, whoever the hell you are; we retreat."

"**Retreat?! Why the hell should we retreat?! There's no way they can defeat us!**"

"Perhaps, but I have my reasons," Magnus said. To my surprise, his eyes were fixated on Zelda, and he looked both concerned and intrigued. "Come on; let's go."

"But…what about the kid?" Clive asked, his voice returning to its original, more calm and quiet tone.

"Forget him; we can always get him later. Now, let's go!" Magnus grabbed the back of Clive's shirt and dragged him away.

"Should we go after him?" Zelda asked.

"…No. They'd probably just lead us into a trap; they could do so very easily if they wanted to," I said. "We'll run into them again eventually. For now, let's just go back to Apollomon." I turned to look at Victoria. "Are you alright? Can you stand?" When she didn't respond, I knelt down next to her and gently placed my hand over her shoulder. "He's gone now; I promise he's not going to hurt you now, or ever again," I whispered into her ear.

"...Thank you…Tommy…" I helped her stand up, and then turned to Michalis.

"You should come with us," I said.

"No, I…I don't need any help," Michalis said. He looked very nervous, as if he was afraid I would strike him. "You shouldn't get yourselves involved with someone like me…"

"We're already involved," I said. "Those two that were after you work with a few people that tried to kill my friends and me. I don't know what they wanted with you, but I can say that whatever it was would not have been a very pleasant experience for you."

"Please," Victoria said. "Please, allow us to help you!"

"…Fine. I will go with you for now, but I will leave if it benefits me," Michalis said. "Where will you be taking me?"

"We're taking you to our boss, Apollomon," I said.

"Wait! What about Irene and SlashAngemon?" Statuedramon asked.

"I don't think they were here," I said. "That note the knights left for us…did anything about it strike you as a little odd?"

"No, why?"

"We were able to read it," I replied. "No knight I've ever seen has had legible handwriting."

"What are you saying?" Zelda asked.

"I don't think it was a knight who left us that note. Whoever _did_, I'm sure, is trying to provoke us into fighting the Valencian knights…someone like Abigail."

"Abigail? You mean the lady who turned into BioLadyDevimon? Why do you think it was her?" Statch asked.

"She's always had a bit of a manipulative streak," I recalled.

"That's a pretty big assumption to think someone would do that," Victoria said. "What makes you so sure? Surely, there are a large number of knights with legible handwriting."

"Perhaps, but one thing is for certain; we won't be finding anyone in this place," I looked up at Braig's laboratory, which was still completely covered in ice. "At least, we won't be finding anybody alive, and if we go in, we're likely to freeze to death before we find anything. Also, if Irene and SlashAngemon really were taken by Valencian knights, they wouldn't be kept here, where someone could easily walk in and find them, even before it became frozen over; those knights would've taken them back to their headquarters toward the center of Yew rather than a scientist's laboratory such as this one."

"So, that's it? We're just going back to Apollomon without them?" Statuedramon asked.

"You heard what Michalis said; anyone who touches that ice instantly dies," I replied. "We can't just wander in there without knowing what will happen to us. We have to go back."

* * *

**Magnus**

**Magnus's Hideout (Unknown Location)**

**20 Minutes**

"Why didn't we do it?" Clive asked. He sat atop one of the many piles of empty crates scattered throughout my hideout. There wasn't really any other way to describe the interior of the hideout; boring gray walls, gray floor, and piles upon piles of empty, wooden crates. There were two doors on opposite walls leading outside. "You spent most of the day bitching me out about how important it was that we get that kid, and then we just go and leave him behind?!"

"That's enough, Clive!" I snapped. I stood with my back leaned against one of the hideout's walls.

"You've never even told me why the kid was so important!" Clive continued rambling, ignoring me.

"Well…to tell you the truth, I was never told why, either," I said. "All I was told was that I needed to find the kid and bring him back with me; I wasn't given any explanation of why he's so damn important or anything."

"Okay, I can understand that part," Clive said. "So, why, then, did we leave if we needed to bring him back with us?"

"It doesn't matter why, okay?! We'll get him eventually," I said.

"…I noticed you were staring at that blonde girl practically the entire time," Clive said. "Were you—?"

"I am NOT you!" I picked up my poleax and struck the pervert across the back of his head with the flat side of the axe's blade, making him fall off the crates he sat on. "Look; I just got this really strange vibe off that girl. That's _all_. I don't know how to explain it; she just didn't seem…normal." I reached down and grabbed Clive's hand and helped him stand up. "We'll get the kid; don't worry. We'll try again tomorrow, okay?"


	32. Midnight Confessions

**Thomas Kasuto**

**En Route to Saias's Villa**

**40 Minutes**

During our entire trip back to the villa, nobody said a word. "Apollomon is going to be so disappointed that we weren't able to find Irene and SlashAngemon," Statuedramon said, finally breaking the silence.

"But it is possible that they're still alive," I said. "They may not be with us at the moment, but as long as there's that possibility, Apollomon won't give up, and neither will I."

"It's also possible that they've returned while we've been gone," Zelda said.

"I don't know; I just…don't feel right about all of this," Statuedramon said. "Michalis, are you absolutely _certain_ that our friends couldn't have been taken to any secret area of that laboratory before it froze over?"

"The knights that always accompanied the scientists that kept me locked up in that place…they were rather unintelligent," Michalis said. The young man was having difficulty walking, so Victoria had placed his arm over her shoulders to assist him. "If there was any secret area of the lab…the knights would not have known about it. Your friends, the knights, they all would've been with the scientists keeping watch over me. _That_ I _am_ sure of."

"If you say so," Statuedramon said as Saias's Villa gradually came into view. "Well, anyway, Michalis, this is where we're living, albeit temporarily."

"Are you sure it's fine that I stay with you?" Michalis asked.

"Of course it is!" Statch exclaimed. "What kind of mercenary guild would we be if we saw someone who needed help, and didn't give it to them?"

"You're obviously unwell, and I wouldn't want anything to happen to you," Victoria said. "I've been told that I have a habit of adopting and mothering orphans…" Victoria looked over at me.

"Oh, and don't mind our boss," Statuedramon said. "He looks big and scary, but he's actually a pretty nice guy, and…I believe that's him standing on the villa's porch!"

"He doesn't look too happy," I said. "Of course, that's normal for him, but even still…" After a moment, the five of us made it to the villa.

"Uh…I take it SlashAngemon and Irene didn't arrive while we were gone," Statuedramon said. Apollomon sighed.

"I was afraid you'd say something like that…" the tall Mega Digimon rested his forehead in the palm of his hand. "They weren't there, were they…"

"Perhaps not, but I believe they may have never been at Braig's lab in the first place," I said. "The place was completely iced over. According to this man, Michalis, anyone who touched the ice would have been instantly killed."

"Killed?! Then…then they…" Apollomon sat down in a nearby chair and buried his face in his hands. "Irene and SlashAngemon…are they…"

"I do not believe they were at the lab at the time it was frozen over," I continued. "If they _had_ been, I have no doubt that they'd have been able to escape with ease; Michalis here was a test subject for the scientists inside, weakened from hunger and pain, and yet, even _he_ was able to escape."

"Yeah…I guess so," Apollomon murmured. "But if they weren't there, where did the knights take them?"

"That's another thing I'd like to mention," I said. "I'm not entirely sure of this, but I believe it to be highly likely; the note saying that knights had taken our friends had perfectly legible handwriting, did it not?" Apollomon looked up at me, his eyes wide with shock.

"Of course; why didn't I think of that earlier?!" Apollomon asked, smiling wide. "The only knights I can think of that would have legible handwriting are Saias and Lector, and neither of them would do anything that was written on that note!"

"While I believe that to be the case, Sir, I must ask; is it not possible that there may be some knights who have at least _decent_ handwriting?" I asked. Apollomon's smile faded. "I know there is little evidence to go on, but I have a very strong feeling that it was not the knights who sent that note. Maybe it's just that I don't want to believe what that note said, but this feeling I have is really strong."

"I understand," Apollomon said. "As long as there's a small chance that they're alive, I can rest easy. I will not give up." Apollomon stood up and clasped his hands over my shoulders. "Thank you, Thomas; I know that your instincts about such things are hardly ever wrong. Now, you, young man," Apollomon looked over at Michalis. "What was your name again?"

"I'm…Michalis, sir…" Victoria had helped the young man sit down on a chair near Apollomon. "As Thomas said, I was a test subject of the madmen working at that laboratory; I've been there for as long as I can remember…"

"You are more than welcome to stay with us for as long as you need," Apollomon smiled warmly at Michalis. "Or forever, if you wish."

"Yes…sir…"

"Now, I'm sure you must be starving, having been locked up for all that time," Apollomon said. "I'll lead you to the kitchen and fix you whatever you'd like; how does that sound?"

"That sounds…great…" Michalis gave Apollomon a weak smile as Victoria helped him stand up. Apollomon led them and Statuedramon into the villa, leaving Zelda and me on the porch. As the others left, I looked down steadily at the wood-plank floor of the porch.

"Are you okay?" Zelda asked.

"Wha—? Oh, no, I'm…fine," I said. "I was just…thinking…"

"Whatever you were thinking about looked like it was troubling you," Zelda said. "What were you thinking about? You can tell me."

"It was…about Michalis; I just think…Victoria might be trusting him a little too much and too easily," I said. "He said he was able to escape from the lab before it was frozen over, right?" Zelda nodded. "He said that it was frozen over pretty fast, and that it killed all the scientists that were about to work on him, and yet _he_ was somehow able to escape, and he barely has the strength to move without Mothe — without Victoria helping him walk."

"You're right!" Zelda said quietly. "But then…how did he escape? Was he even in the lab in the first place?"

"Also, while we were there last night, I fought a Digimon named Andromon — he said he used to be a Human." Zelda was gazing intently at me. "He was brought to the lab against his will and turned into a Digimon; whoever did it was trying to make a Bio Hybrid like Garret, but they failed, and he was turned into Andromon."

"…What are you saying?" Zelda asked.

"All I'm saying is…there might be more to that boy than what meets the eye, and whether he knows it or not, he…might be different from us."

"And if he is? Should it be something we ought to be worried about?" Zelda asked.

"Well…he does seem fine. Maybe a little distrusting of others, but he's nothing like Abigail or the others," I said. "But if he is…they might go after him. Or, he might even be working with them, and he's just spying on us for them. Of course, this is all just speculation; he could be just what he said. Either way, we need to keep our eyes on him; for now, at least."

"Okay. If I see him doing anything strange, I'll come to you immediately," Zelda said.

"Thank you, Zelda."

* * *

**Zelda**

All the other members of the guild had retired to their bedrooms for the night, and most of their lights were turned off. All except for one room. I slowly and quietly tiptoed over to that room, and quietly knocked on the door.

"Come in," Victoria's voice said. I opened the door and walked in. Victoria sat alone in her room, on her bed. She was smiling at me as I quietly closed the door behind me. She had taken her long, black coat off, which was folded neatly on her bed next to her. She wore only her red halter top, leaving her belly and shoulders exposed, and her matching, knee-length skirt. Like me, she was also barefoot.

"Um…How's Michalis?" I asked.

"He's fine, sweetie. He's sleeping on a couch in the living room," Victoria replied. "Seems like he's going to be okay, too."

"Oh, that's wonderful!"

"Yes; I'm quite happy he decided to let us help him," Victoria sighed. "…Was there…something else you needed?"

"Oh…um…I was wondering…if you could tell me…" I could feel my face heat up and redden. "Could you tell me…what Thomas was like…when he was younger?" Victoria smiled at me.

"Of course, dear," she said. She sighed happily and looked up at the ceiling. "When I met him…it was in Cyclamen City…"

* * *

**Victoria**

_I had been visiting Cyclamen City for the first time. I was only about twenty or so at the time. This small child was following me. At the time, I didn't know why, though…I was trying to leave the city as soon as possible because…well…You've been there before, right? You should know what I mean…_

"...Why are you following me around, kid?" _I asked._

"You aren't from around here, right? I'm coming with you when you leave this city," _the boy said._

"Sorry. I travel alone. You should go home to your parents, little boy."

"My parents are dead." _My heart skipped a beat. I turned to look at the boy, and he was gazing at me intently. I knew the second I saw those eyes that I would never forget them. They were so dark and full of life, but also...they were so piercing...like he was staring right into my soul._ "If YOU don't care about me, that's fine, but the least you could do is take me somewhere that isn't _here_!" _At this point, I had turned around, and knelt down right in front of him. I smiled gently at him._

"You must have been very sad when you found out about your parents," _I told him._

"N—No...they...they're just like everyone else here," _he said._ "Killing for no reason...that's what it means to live here..."

"I'm sure your mommy and daddy only did what they did because they cared about you, their son."

"...No. That's the first rule of living here; care only for yourself. That's how you succeed in a place like this." _I reached up and gently laid a hand over his cheek, and brushed some of his hair away. I knew right away...I couldn't just leave this child in a place like this. I had seen for myself exactly what he had described, and I was only passing through the city on my way home. I had to take him with me._

"You can come with me...if you'd like." _He looked down and away, as if frightened of me for some reason, or unwilling to trust me. It took me a while to realize it, but I knew what he was so afraid of; he didn't want to get close to me, and then lose me._ "...A while ago...I lost my own son...So I know what it's like to lose everybody you know and care about_..." I placed his tiny hand in mine. He flinched at first, but eventually relented, and wrapped his tiny little fingers around my thumb...just like my son did before he was taken from me. I pulled him into a hug, and he cried. I could only assume it was his first, and I'm guessing it was his last time, too. He cried — not because of losing his parents — but because he finally knew what it was like to have someone care about him._

* * *

**Zelda**

"Oh...Thomas...I...I didn't know," I said in a shaky voice. Victoria smiled at me.

"You're very important to him, Zelda. He cares very much about you."

"W—What? How…how can you tell?" I stammered. Victoria continued to smile kindly at me.

"I can tell from the way he spoke about you in the last letter I got from him before I came over here," Victoria said.

"But…we only just met a few weeks ago, and…and…"

"And you feel the same way, too."

"…Yes. I…Am I…falling…for him…?"

"What was that? I couldn't quite hear you," Victoria said.

"…Never mind," I shook my head.

"It's really no surprise to me that he cares about you so much," Victoria said. "I haven't known you very long, Zelda…but you are, without a doubt, the kindest person I have ever seen…and he always _did_ have an eye for beauty," she added.

"…Thomas and Statuedramon said the same thing when I first started traveling with them," Zelda said. "And…Thomas…_did_ call me…beautiful…on several occasions…but…I don't think…he's…right…"

"Really? Why not?" I shrugged after a few seconds, and looked steadily down at the floor. "Well, _I_ happen to think you are _very_ pretty, Zelda. You don't need to sell yourself so short." Quietly, I shook my head, and I could feel myself beginning to blush once again. Victoria laughed quietly. "You know…you really _are_ very adorable. And, with your style of clothing, you'll have no problem working your way into his heart."

"What do you…mean?" Suddenly, Thomas's words rang inside my head. _I could never say no to a girl with a bare midriff_, was what he had said. "Oh…Oh! I…I thought he was…just kidding about that…" I tugged down on my shirt ever so slightly, feeling completely embarrassed.

"And yet…you have still chosen to wear your desert attire, after all this time," Victoria smirked. "Were you maybe hoping he would notice you?"

"…Yes." I smiled sadly.

"Well, don't worry, sweetie. He'll tell you eventually. I'm sure he's just waiting because he's worried it might be too soon," Victoria said. "But, if _you_ want to tell _him_…you could always use his "perpetual enamorment" to your advantage." Victoria pointed at my exposed midriff.

"Oh…is that…ethical?"

Victoria shrugged. "I don't see why _not_. How do you think I made him eat his veggies when he was 'bout ten years old?" Victoria softly patted her stomach.

"But…aren't you his mother?"

"Not by _blood._ I'm only his _surrogate_ mother…a false mother…I'm sure he doesn't even think of me as his _real_ mother," Victoria said sadly. This time, I smiled at her.

"Victoria…I heard him talk about you before when we visited Cyclamen," I said. "He said, 'As far as I'm concerned, Victoria Kasuto _is_ my real mother.' Trust me…he really believes that."

"…Thank you, Zelda," Victoria said. "It's starting to get late…we should get to sleep."

"Okay. Good night, Victoria."

"Good night, Zelda. Sweet dreams."

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Early the Next Morning**

After having slept for many hours, my peaceful, much-needed sleep was ended abruptly by the sound of somebody knocking loudly on the villa's front doors. Annoyed at the sudden interruption, I crawled out of my bed and made my way through the dimly lit house to the front door, where I found Apollomon, Victoria, and Michalis speaking with Lector.

"Thomas…glad you could join us," Apollomon said. It was evident that he had not fully awoken yet.

"What can we do for you, Lector?" I asked.

"I'm here on business," Lector said, his face in an uncharacteristically serious scowl. "Eyewitness reports say that you and your friends found a young man with brown hair, roughly Thomas's size, outside Braig's laboratory yesterday afternoon; is this correct?"

_Why would he need to know something like that?_ "We…may have found—"

"It is I who you ask about," Michalis said. He was sounding a lot less weak, and he was able to stand without Victoria's help. Without warning, Lector reached out and grabbed Michalis's gaunt arm, then forcibly yanked him out of the villa.

"Lector, what are you doing?!" Apollomon asked.

"I apologize for my abruptness, Sir Apollomon," Lector said. "We are placing this man under arrest."


	33. False Information

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

"We are placing this man under arrest," Lector's grip tightened on Michalis's wrist. The boy attempted to pull himself free, but the large and imposing knight pulled him out of the villa.

"Wait, Lector, why are you doing this?!" Apollomon and I ran after the knight, and Apollomon grabbed his arm.

"I'm sorry, Apollomon, Thomas," Lector said. "This…child is wanted for the murders of countless individuals throughout Valencia."

"What?! That…that can't be…" Apollomon let go of Lector's arm. His own arm fell limply to his side.

"I have no such memory of doing so!" Michalis protested. Lector stared long and hard at the boy.

"…Be that as it may, I _must_ do my job," Lector said. "Your trial awaits. Now, please stop attempting to free yourself; it'll make it easier on the both of us."

"Wait, Lector! Please, don't take him away!" I shouted.

"Please, I'll take full responsibility for—"

"I'm afraid I cannot let you do that, my friend." Lector turned away from Apollomon. "This boy needs to pay for his crimes, of which you are not guilty, Apollomon. If…you need to contact me, I will be at the prison in Yew; pay me a visit there if there's anything you need."

"There must be some mistake!" I said. "Surely, Michalis is not the person you are after!"

"I have been told he is a brown-haired individual, roughly your size, Thomas," Lector said. "Furthermore…the individual was last seen accompanying you and your friends, Thomas, and I reasoned to the other knights that he was deceiving you so they wouldn't think you would be harboring a wanted criminal. Now, if you will all excuse me…"

"Halt!" Victoria shouted.

"…Do you need something?" Lector asked.

"I _cannot_ allow you to take him away!" Victoria brandished her sword and rested its blade over Lector's shoulder, next to his neck. "Michalis has done nothing wrong! I will _not_ let you ruin his life for something he has not even thought about doing!"

"…I'm sorry…" Lector began walking away, dragging the unwilling Michalis with him.

"Wait!" Victoria started to run after him.

"Victoria, enough," Apollomon said after tightly grasping her arm. "I don't like it any more than you, but that man…he would never harm anyone who was truly innocent. For him to take Michalis away like this…he must have done what Lector said he did."

"No…he…he wouldn't have," Victoria began sobbing. "He _couldn't_ have…he…" Lector was soon out of sight, leaving the three of us alone on the villa's porch. Apollomon's grip loosened around Victoria's arm, and the distraught woman fell weakly to her knees. Seeing the woman who had raised me in such a way made me feel a jumbled group of emotions. Rage, pity, desperation…all of the emotions I felt for Victoria left me feeling more confused than anything.

"Come on…let's go back inside," Apollomon said. Victoria didn't budge. Apollomon sighed and walked into the villa. As I prepared to do the same, Victoria looked up at me, her face wet with tears.

"I'm going," she whispered. I stared blankly at her for a moment until I realized what she meant. I opened my mouth to protest, but Victoria placed her finger over my lips. "Please…let me go. I _know_ he has done nothing wrong…" As she spoke, I looked into her eyes; they look so determined, so…passionate…I, begrudgingly, nodded slowly, and Victoria smiled and pulled me into a warm, comforting hug. "I promise…I will be back…I will be back as soon as possible…" Victoria gently pressed her soft lips against my forehead before letting go of me to leave. As she left, her long, beautiful hair flew out behind her, and as it did, a disquieting thought entered my mind.

_Her hair…it's the exact same shade of brown that Michalis's is…_

* * *

**Magnus**

**Magnus's Hideout (Unknown Location)**

"That was an interesting story you fed to those knights," Clive said. Once again, he sat perched atop a pile of empty crates. "Do you think they'll believe it?"

"I hope so," I said. "It'll be easier to take the kid away from the knights than the mercenary guild." I lay on my back on the cold, hard floor of my hideout, looking up at the plain, white ceiling. The lights were flickering, and in need of replacement.

"When should we go?" Clive asked.

"Hmm…knowing how eager-to-please-the-higher-ups those knights are…" I sat up and picked up my axe from the ground next to me. "They could have found him by now. Any minute now, they should be locking him up in that prison you were in before I found you."

"That was a military prison; arrested civilians are taken to the one right next door," Clive said.

"Well, whatever," I said. "Either way, we shall leave within the hour."

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**5 Minutes**

Apollomon and I had been sitting quietly in the living room ever since Victoria left, silently pondering what had just happened.

"I haven't seen Victoria since Michalis was taken away. I do hope she's all right," Apollomon said, his sudden words breaking the disquieting and awkward silence. "She did seem quite fond of him…"

"She'll be okay," I said. _I can't imagine why she'd go so far out of her way to help this complete stranger…though, I suppose if she wasn't that kind of person, I would never have met her…_

"Do you happen to know where she is right now, Thomas?" Apollomon asked.

"Uh…last time I saw her, she was on the porch…" _Damn it, he's _already_ getting suspicious?! Just what the hell goes on inside that head of his?!_ I could practically feel Apollomon's intense gaze during the silence that followed my response.

"Thomas…what would you say if I were to say that I think you know where Victoria is?" Apollomon continued to stare at me.

"I…I'm not sure what you mean, sir," I said. My eyes shifted around the large room nervously. _Forget about suspicious, he already fucking knows! But…how?!_

"What would you say if I said I thought, hypothetically, that Victoria chased after Lector to break Michalis out of prison?" Apollomon asked.

"…How did you find out?" I asked.

"Oh, I knew the entire time," Apollomon smirked. "I could see how…affectionate she was for Michalis; almost in the same way a mother would be to her own children. I knew that once Lector told me that he was taking Michalis away, based on what I observed from her behavior toward the boy, that Victoria would immediately begin chasing after him."

"Why did you wait until now to tell me?" I asked.

"I suppose I just assumed she would be back by now," Apollomon shrugged. "Since she hasn't returned yet, I can only gather that she had to follow Lector all the way to the prison to get him."

"You thought she might be able to catch up to Lector before they got to Yew?"

"Always a possibility," Apollomon said defensively. "Well, anyway, do you think—"

"I'll go after her," I said.

"Take Zelda and Statuedramon with you," Apollomon said. "Now, no matter what happens, do not allow her to fight any Valencian Knights; if she does, she could end up endangering every last one of us."

"Understood, sir," I said. I knew well that if Victoria were to fight the knights, that she would emerge victorious. That wasn't what had me worried. _If anybody saw her coming back here with Michalis, the Valencian Knights would have us captured in no time, and even with Apollomon on our side, there's no way we could last forever…_

"Also…while you're there…" Apollomon's voice trailed away.

"If I find Irene or SlashAngemon, I promise I'll bring them back with me," I said. "It won't be like with Adrian back when you sent us to Mandrake Town; I'll _make_ them come back with me, sir."

"Thank you," Apollomon said. "Make sure you all come back safely." I nodded as I left the room to find Zelda and Statch.


	34. Kinship's Bond

**Victoria Kasuto**

**Valencian Prison, Yew**

**5 Minutes**

_This place is pretty big; if I'm not careful, I'll get lost._ I carefully glanced around the corner of a wall, sighing with relief when I saw nobody. _As long as nobody notices me, I'll be fine. I just need to find Michalis as soon as possible, and then we can go back to Thomas and Apollomon…_ I carefully looked inside each prison cell I passed by, ignoring the flirting and wolf whistles of the prisoners inside. _Where is Michalis?! Where have they taken him?!_

"Vic…toria…?" Michalis's voice weakly resonated from a nearby cell.

"Michalis! Oh, I'm so glad you're alright!" I ran up to the cell to see Michalis barely standing up, his hands weakly grasped around two of the bars of the cell's door.

"Victoria…you came…back for me…"

"Michalis, are you okay?! They didn't hurt you, did they?!" I asked.

"…No…I'm fine," Michalis said. "…Are you going to get me out of here?"

I nodded.

"But…how?"

"Very easily." I gently brushed my fingers against the back of his hand before reaching for my sword, which I used to slice cleanly through the door's lock. "Come on; we have to hurry before the knights catch up to us!" I tightly gripped Michalis's arm and began frantically searching for the door. "…There it is! We're getting out of here, Michalis!"

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that." Before I had reached the exit, the heavy footsteps and the loud, echoing clang produced by a person walking in a heavy suit of armor gradually approached me. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm going to have to ask you to release the child," Lector said.

"And exactly how do you plan on making you do that?!" I turned to face the large man, sighing inwardly with relief when I saw that he was alone. "If you had brought a few other soldiers with you, you may have stood a chance against me. But alone? There's no way you'll be taking him away from me." My hand reached for the door just as a massive lance struck the wood just inches away from my hand. The lance strike made the door completely jam shut; escape was impossible.

"Please…just hand Michalis over," Lector said.

"Michalis…stand back." I tightly gripped the hilt of my sword and pointed the tip of its blade between Lector's eyes. "This could get ugly."

"Victoria, _stop_!" Thomas's voice echoed through the empty hallway of the prison. Statuedramon and Zelda stood behind him.

_How'd he find us so quickly?_

"Don't do this! Just allow Lector to take Michalis with him, and it can be over with!"

"…How can you say that, Thomas?! Do you have any idea who Michalis is?!" I yelled. Thomas and Statuedramon stared blankly at me. I had even surprised myself; not once had I ever raised my voice to either of them.

"It doesn't matter who he is," Lector said. "He has committed a crime, and it is my job as a knight to deal with him."

"No…please! Michalis…he's my son." Thomas, Statuedramon, and Zelda stared back at me in disbelief; I heard Michalis gasp with surprise; Lector, however, didn't show any sign of astonishment, or any emotions at all. "Nineteen years ago…I was raped by a man named Clive. Nine months later, I gave birth to a small baby boy, only to have him taken away before I could hold him. That baby…had brown hair, the same color as mine, and an x-shaped birthmark on the back of his right hand…just like Michalis."

"That means nothing," Lector said. "Surely, there must be hundreds of children Michalis's age that fit that description."

"No! Michalis is _my son_!" I shouted. "He doesn't have any memory of having any kind of family because he's been locked up in that laboratory all his life! He…he couldn't have done…he _couldn't_ have…"

"Victoria. The only thing that matters is that Michalis has committed a crime, and now he must face his punishment," Lector said. "Michalis will be coming with _me_!"

"That's where you're wrong, big guy." Without any warning, the wall behind Lector caved in. Clive walked into the hallway first, and was followed by Magnus. "That kid's going to have to come with _us_, I'm afraid," Magnus said.

"You…who are you?!" Lector shouted.

"Never thought I'd be back in a prison," Clive sighed, sounding obviously displeased with his predicament.

"Quit complaining," Magnus said.

"Your arms…what's wrong with them?!" Statuedramon asked, gazing at Magnus.

"You're a Bio Hybrid, aren't you?" Thomas asked.

"Yes, I am," Magnus looked down at his arms; they were much larger than they had been yesterday, and were encased in gauntlets covered with gemstones. "I guess you could say I'm somewhat of a more _advanced_ Bio Hybrid than Abigail or Adrian; I'm able to turn only certain parts of my body into that of my Digimon form at any time I want. These arms you see right now are the arms of my Digimon form!"

"Enough idle chatter; state your business at once!" Lector barked.

"I already told you, old man; we're taking that kid with us, and you ain't going to be able to stop us," Magnus said.

"I bet you never would have realized it was us who sent you that false report that Michalis did something bad," Clive said.

"CLIVE!"

"Wait…that was…_you_…who gave us that information?" Lector asked. "You lied to my superior officers about what that child did…they were going to make me end an innocent child's life for _nothing_?!"

"You tried to have my son taken away from me?!" I glared angrily at the two.

"Damn it, Clive," Magnus shook his head. "Well, whatever; if there's anything you can do about it, just try and stop us!"

"Time to start earning my pay!" Clive placed his hand on the crumbled remains of the wall he and Magnus had just destroyed, and instantly, it became completely covered in ice.

"Well, it looks like we've picked one _hell_ of a bad time to show up," Statuedramon said. "Apollomon is _not_ going to like this…"

"Worrying about our futures can come after making sure there _is_ one," Thomas said. "Time for the two of us to do what we do best!"

"Sure…go ahead and fight us. That is…_if_ you think you can win," Magnus said. "Remember who you're dealing with, here. I'm a Bio Hybrid; I don't go down so easily."

_He's not looking; now's my chance!_ While Magnus was speaking to Thomas, I ran up to him and swung my blade at his back.

"You fool…you really think I'd be dumb enough to have my back turned without protecting it?!" Magnus turned to face me just as my sword's blade split in two.

"What?! But…how?! Just what are you?!"

"You really want to see what I can turn into?" Magnus asked, reaching into his pocket.

"Magnus, don't! This place isn't big enough for you to do that!" Clive said.

"Ah, you're right; apologies, Victoria. It seems I'll have to show you later." Magnus looked behind me over at Michalis. "Well…now that your sword's broken, there doesn't seem to be anything stopping me from taking that kid. _You_ were, after all, our biggest threat, Victoria. A pretty cute threat, but a threat nonetheless."

"To use your words…that's where you're _wrong_!" Lector removed his lance from the door and thrust it into the wall between Michalis and Magnus.

"Oh, come _on_; do you really think _you_ can stop me?! If Saias were here, he could have stopped me, but _you_?! You don't stand a chance!"

"Sword of Dragon's Soul!" A transparent projection was released from Statuedramon's sword, striking Magnus in the side of the head. "Victoria, take Michalis and go! We'll handle things here!" I quickly grabbed Michalis's arm and began running for the door once again.

"Oh, no; I didn't let you get away last time, and I won't let you do it this time!" Clive's shadow extended over the door, and it too became covered in a thick layer of ice. "Come on…scream for me, bitch. Just once, I'd like to hear what that sounds like…"

_Should I tell him? Maybe that would distract him long enough for me to…No…no, he doesn't deserve to know Michalis is his son!_

"Come forth, Renamon!"

"Power Paw!" The astral form of Renamon suddenly appeared, kicking Clive across the face, sending the man crashing into the wall, his face a mess of minor burns and blood.

"Victoria, are you okay?" Zelda asked.

"Yes…yes, I'm okay…" My heart was still beating rapidly, and I was trying my best not to think of Clive, and of what he did to me.

"Hey…where did Michalis go?" Lector suddenly asked. My heart skipped a beat as I looked all over the hallway; Michalis was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

**Michalis**

_All that fighting…if anybody were to get hurt, it would be my fault. Victoria…she came here to save me…if she got hurt…if she got hurt…_I was looking steadily down at the floor as I ran, and though I was running aimlessly through the prison, I felt as though I knew where exactly I was going. _But how? How do I know where I'm going? No, never mind that; I just have to get away from everybody…if Victoria finds me again…she'll be hurt for sure!_

"You look as though you are in need of assistance." I looked up and saw a strange man. His very presence disturbed me…and yet, his presence seemed to calm me down, as well.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"You may call me Sephyrus, my child," the man said. He spoke calmly and gently, and his eyes were filled with patience and understanding. "I know who you are, Michalis. And…I know _what_ you are."

"What I…am? I'm a Human…aren't I?"

"No, Michalis. You, my child, are a Bio Hybrid."


	35. Origin's End

**Michalis**

**Valencian Prison, Yew**

"You, my child, are a Bio Hybrid."

"W…What?! You mean…I'm like Magnus?"

"Ah, so you are familiar with the term; good, that simplifies things," Sephyrus said. Without any explanation, the man handed me a simple and ordinary-looking knife and a strange device. "Hold onto them; you may need them to protect yourself."

"What? I don't underst—"

"That woman, Victoria," Sephyrus interrupted. "She doesn't love you. She doesn't _want_ you. She _never_ wanted you; you were just the result of a tragic rape. Why would she want to keep something that reminded her of such an event? She was very pleased when they took you away to that lab...where they turned you into what you are now."

"She...doesn't want me? She doesn't love me?" I asked.

"Correct; in fact, once you were gone, she soon replaced you with another child," Sephyrus said. "One whom she _truly_ loves and treats as her own...one who is not related to her by blood, but one whom she loves even more than a child who does."

"No! You don't mean that! You _can't_ mean that!" I yelled as tears began to well in my eyes.

"I only state the truth," Sephyrus said. "Whether or not you believe it...that is up to you, Michalis. I'm quite sure she's tried to replace you many times, in fact."

"Shut up! Stop lying! Victoria…she…she loves me," I said quietly. "I'm her son…"

"Yes, you are her son, but that does not mean she wanted you in the first place, as I've already explained to you. What may appear to be love and affection to you…is nothing more than a feigned emotion she feels she must show out of some sense of responsibility she clearly does not possess."

* * *

**Zelda**

As Thomas, Statuedramon, and Lector began attacking Magnus, who quickly and nimbly dodged each swing of their blades, Clive wiped the blood off his face and looked at his hand, glaring angrily when he saw how much blood he had lost.

"You'll pay for that!" The floor around Renamon and me slowly and gradually became covered in ice, and just before the ice reached my feet, Clive was shoved to the ground by Victoria. The ice receded back into Clive's shadow.

"You okay?" Victoria asked.

"Yes, I'm fine…Thank you, Victoria," I said.

"Hey, don't worry about it; I'm happy to help protect you. You're a very important person to Thomas, after all," Victoria said, turning to leave. "I'll be back as soon as I find Michalis!"

"Shall we?" Renamon asked me as Victoria walked off.

"Yes…we need to help our friends," I nodded.

"I've been waiting for this moment; Diamond Storm!"

* * *

**Michalis**

"I don't…I don't believe you!" I shouted.

"As I've said, it does not matter to me whether or not you believe me," Sephyrus said. "However, if it is the truth you seek…then you would do well to remember my words. That woman…she does not love you, and yet she is forcing herself into your life. The only way for you to be truly free…is for her to go away. Permanently. The only one who truly knows what is best for you…the only person who knows the real you, Michalis…is me. _I'm_ the only one you can trust right now."

"Michalis! Michalis, where are you?!" Victoria's voice called out from around the corner of a wall. I turned around just in time to see her come running up to me. I briefly turned around, and when I did, the man calling himself Sephyrus was nowhere to be seen.

_Where did he go?_

"Oh, Michalis! Oh, I'm so glad you're okay!" Victoria, sobbing, pulled me into a tight hug. "Why did you run off like that?!"

"I'm sorry…M—Mother," I said. "If I had stayed there…Magnus would've kept hurting you…and Thomas…"

"Michalis…we have to get out of here," Victoria said, finally releasing me from her choking but comfortingly warm embrace. "There's an exit that way; come on, let's hurry!" Victoria grabbed my arm and led me out of the door, and at long last, out of the cold, terrifying prison. "We have to hide somewhere…"

"Mother…there's a forest over there," I pointed.

"A forest right here? This wasn't a good place to build a prison," Victoria commented. "Well, it'll do; come on!"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"Damn it…this is taking too long!" Magnus sighed, continuing to dodge my and Statuedramon's swords, as well as Lector's spear. "Clive…I think we need to go. This probably wasn't the best idea; I didn't think these three would be showing up to help out! I thought it would just be the knights we would have to deal with!"

"You're making us retreat _again_?!" Clive asked.

"Just for now; I promise, this will be the last time!" Magnus said.

"We won't let you escape!" Lector said, thrusting his lance into Magnus's chest; the tip of the spear shattered into hundreds of pieces as, at the moment, Magnus's chest had turned from flesh to pale blue, crystal gemstones.

"See you later!" Magnus and Clive escaped through the hole in the wall they had earlier created. We had attempted to follow them, but Clive sealed off their exit by covering it in ice.

"Damn it; now what?!" Lector asked. He punched the ice with his gauntlet-covered fist, but accomplished nothing but apparently injure his wrist.

"We have to find Victoria," I said.

"Oh, yeah; where did she go?" Statch asked.

"She went to find Michalis," Zelda said. "She went down that way; come on!"

"You coming, Lector?" I asked.

"I think that would be best; if any other knights find you, it would be problematic," Lector said, and we all began to follow Zelda through the straightforward hallways of the prison.

* * *

**Michalis**

"You...are really my mother…aren't you?" I asked.

"Yes...though it's been eighteen years, I am certain you are my child," Victoria said as we headed deeper and deeper into the woods behind the prison we had just broken out of. "I'm so glad...I'm so happy we can finally be together again, Michalis...and now, all of us can live together as a family..."

"All of us?" I asked, slightly puzzled.

"Yes; you, me, Thomas, Statuedramon...and based on the way things are going, maybe even Zelda…" As she spoke, Sephyrus's words echoed in my mind.

_She doesn't love you. She was happy you were taken. She tried to replace you..._

"Also…one other," Victoria interrupted my thoughts. "It's probably too early to see, but..." Victoria turned to the side and placed her hands around her belly, which had a very small, almost unnoticeable bulge I didn't see earlier. "In a few months, you're going to have a little brother or sister!" Victoria smiled down gently at her stomach, gently caressing it.

_She's replacing me...again?! _For reasons I could not explain, I felt myself growing angrier and angrier by the second…but why? Did I believe what Sephyrus said to me earlier? I am not sure…

"Give me your hand; you need to feel this!" Victoria excitedly reached out for my hand, which she placed on her stomach. It was quite soft, and the small amount of skin of her belly I could feel was smooth and pleasant to the touch. For a split second, I felt the anger I felt earlier disappear for it to be replaced momentarily with wonder, curiosity, amazement… "The baby's father left when he found out I was pregnant. I was sad at first, which was I went to find Thomas about a week or two ago. When I found him and Statuedramon…I felt all that sadness go away…" At this point, my anger returned.

_She went to find him…she didn't even bother to look for me! Was…was Sephyrus right?_

"I had almost forgotten what it was like…to carry life inside of me like this," Victoria said.

"Was I…like that once too?" I asked.

"Yes, you were," Victoria smiled gently. "After nine months of carrying you around in my tummy, you were born…and you were…taken away from me…"

"You…were you happy they took me away?!"

"What?! Michalis, what kind of question is that?!"

"Why would any mother want a baby like me around to remind them of what happened to them?!"

"Oh…Michalis, please try to understand; what happened to me will haunt me for the rest of my life. I admit, I was scared when I first found out I was pregnant with you; I was only about sixteen at the time. But with each passing month, as my stomach grew larger and more round before my eyes, I was so…happy. I felt truly blessed to have you in my belly…when they took you away, I just…I couldn't stop crying. Even after I found Thomas and Statuedramon, I cried every day thinking about what they said. They had told me you died…I never got the chance to cradle you in my arms, Michalis…" As Victoria spoke, tears began streaming down her lovely face. "Michalis…I love you…"

_What may appear to be love and affection to you…is nothing more than a feigned emotion she feels she must show out of some sense of responsibility she clearly does not possess._ Sephyrus's words continued to ring in my ears. I couldn't take it anymore. _She does not love you, and yet she is forcing herself into your life. The only way for you to be truly free…is for her to go away. Permanently._ My mind snapped; everything seemed to be a total blur, and my body seemed to move on its own, as if someone else was in control of me. In spite of this, I was completely aware of what was happening; my hand reached for the knife Sephyrus had earlier given me, the blade of which found itself stuck in Victoria's chest. Victoria opened her mouth to scream; whether no sound escaped past her lips, or I just couldn't hear anything, I am unsure. Her blood flew through the air as I — or whoever was in control of my body — continued to stab her over and over, creating stab wounds all over her chest and her belly…she had stopped moving a long time ago, and yet, I continued to stab. I continued to stab until all of the anger inside of me vanished. I was left alone, standing in the middle of the woods, holding the bloody knife as I looked at Victoria's unmoving and unbreathing body.

"Sephyrus…this is what you wanted me to do…right?"

"Well…I can't speak for Sephyrus…" The voice startled me, and I turned around, holding up the knife, prepared to stab whoever spoke. "You did a wonderful job, killing her."

"Who are you?!" I asked.

"Just call me Abigail," the woman said. "You're ready to come with us. Michalis…our most advanced Bio Hybrid…even more advanced than Magnus…come with me…" Abigail held out her hand, and to my surprise, I took it, without even knowing where she would take me.


	36. The Grieving Heart

**Thomas Kasuto**

"If she went this way, there's only one way she could have gone," Lector said. "At the end of this hallway is a door that leads to the outside and to a small forest behind the prison."

"Why is there a forest behind the prison?" Statuedramon asked. "This is like, the stupidest place for a prison!"

"Well, it certainly wasn't _my_ idea," Lector said defensively. "Well, anyway, if she's going to be anywhere, that's where she would be. It's the perfect place to hide…Wow, this really _is_ a stupid place for a prison…"

* * *

**10 Minutes**

"Okay…maybe she _isn't_ here," Lector said.

"We haven't been searching for very long; she could still be here," I said.

"Thomas, I think I see something up ahead," Statuedramon said. He spoke with a serious tone of voice, as if troubled or anxious.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Thomas…I smell blood." Without warning, Statch took off, leaving the three of us behind.

"Statuedramon, wait up!" We began chasing after the Rookie Digimon, who we had nearly lost sight of until he came to a sudden halt. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"…Thomas…" Statuedramon slowly turned around to face us. His eyes were filled with tears; tears of true despair, which was an unusual sight for him. He lifted a trembling arm and pointed at a rather large tree. Lying down at the tree's base was the unmoving body of Victoria, covered in stab wounds all up and down her stomach and chest.

"No…Victoria! VICTORIA!" I began running over to her when someone tightly gripped me arm.

"Thomas…you don't need to see it up close," Lector said.

"NO! LET ME GO! THAT'S MY MOTHER, DAMN IT!"

"Forget it, Thomas; this isn't something you need to experience," Lector said. "I will…give her a proper burial, Thomas."

"Why you?! She's _my_ mother!"

"He's right, Thomas," Statuedramon said weakly. "She…needs to be buried before a scavenger gets to her…I don't believe either of us has the strength or the willpower to do it as we are now…I doubt we ever will…"

"I promise I will not let anything happen to her," Lector said. I couldn't even look at him as he knelt down next to Victoria's lifeless body and picked her up.

"Thomas…are you going to be okay?" Statuedramon asked. His words fell on deaf ears, though, and without any warning, I fell to the ground, unconscious, before Lector was out of sight.

I awoke with a start; the first thing I noticed was that my head was resting in Zelda's lap. One of her hands was resting over my chest, and the other over my forehead. Everything else, however, was still a blur and difficult to make out.

"Statuedramon, he's awake!" Looking straight up, I saw Zelda's sapphire-blue eyes looking down at me, completely filled with worry and tearful sadness. In an instant, Statuedramon was by my side.

"Are you okay, buddy?" he asked.

"What happened…? Are we…still in the forest?"

"Yeah; you passed out from the shock of…of losing her before Lector even left. You've been out cold for about twenty minutes now," Statuedramon said. The Rookie level Digimon sighed wearily. "Not that I blame you; I'm not feeling too good about it myself…Also, Lector hasn't returned yet…"

"…What should we do?" I sat up and looked around the forest. It was the middle of the day, and yet I felt completely exhausted. With a sigh, I forced myself to stand up, with Zelda doing the same. "Should we…go back?"

"Thomas…I'm sorry…about what happened. She told me that she was going to look for Michalis…and I didn't try to stop her…" Zelda said, and without warning, she immediately pulled me into a hug. It was surprising at first, but I soon hugged her back. It made me feel better, not only because of recent events, but…when it happened, I felt fulfilled, as if I had been waiting my entire life for this moment...for her embrace, for her warmth…"I, too, know the pain of losing one's mother…and even though _my_ mother was a cruel drunk, she was still my mother…" As enjoyable as her embrace was, I was caught completely off guard by it; she had always seemed too shy and meek to do anything of the sort before. She must have realized this, as she instantly pulled away from me, her face a brighter red than I had ever seen it. "You're right, Thomas…we probably ought to head back; I'm sure Apollomon must be worried about us by now."

"You're taking off now? So, I guess it's okay for us to show up now?" said a new voice.

"That voice…Magnus, is that you?!" Statch yelled.

"Yeah…look behind you." The three of us turned around, seeing Magnus and Clive standing behind us. Magnus, however, looked somewhat forlorn compared to the overeager Clive. "I, uh…saw what happened to Victoria…"

"Was it you who killed her?!" I asked.

"No, it wasn't us," Clive said. "I'm a rapist, not a murderer, remember? And this guy uses an axe, not a knife! Jeez, pay attention!"

"Wait…you were here this whole time?! Why wait until _now_ to show up?!" Statuedramon asked.

"We aren't heartless, you know — well, I don't know about Clive — but I am definitely _not_ heartless," Magnus said, ignoring Clive's protest. "Victoria…she was one of our more dangerous enemies, but I never had any intention of killing her, and I may be the most lecherous and greedy person on Arcadia, but I take good care of my possessions. As the future ruler of Arcadia, I need people to like me; if they don't, then they wouldn't be there doin' what I ask 'em to, and what's worse for the greedy than having nothing?"

"So, you waited to ambush us because you felt sorry for us?" Statuedramon asked. "…You're actually a nice guy, aren't you…?"

"…Who killed her?" I asked.

"Hell, I'm not telling you," Magnus said. "Just because I felt sorry for you and that woman doesn't mean I'm going to rat out who did! But man, was I surprised by who it was, though…"

"Why are you here? Michalis isn't here with us. Did you come to pay your respects or something?" Statch asked mockingly.

"No; actually, we came for her," Magnus pointed at Zelda.

"What?! No! You aren't taking our friend away!" Statch shouted. Magnus sighed.

"Do it, Clive."

"With pleasure!"

"Sword of Dragon's Soul!" Clive held up his hand just as Statch unleashed his attack; the sword projection immediately froze and crashed to the forest floor, shattering into millions of pieces. "Damn it; Sword of—" Before Statch could finish, a sheet of ice encased sprouted from the ground at his feet and froze him over up to his shoulders.

"Statuedramon!" I began running over to my friend, but before I could make it over to him, Magnus swung his large poleax and struck me across the back of the head with its handle. I fell to the ground, barely conscious.

"No, please! Don't hurt them anymore!" Zelda pleaded. "They've been through enough already!"

"If you come with us willingly, we won't have to," Magnus said.

"Zelda…don't go…we'll be…fine…"

"I don't want to see you get hurt by these two anymore; you've been through enough for today," Zelda looked down at me. "Magnus…I will go with you. Please…don't hurt my friends anymore."

"As you wish, Milady," Magnus said. "Please, follow us."

"Zelda…wait!" I tried to pick myself up off the ground, but Clive glared at me, trapping my arms and legs in ice. I was completely pinned to the ground. I tried to force myself free from the ice as Magnus and Clive walked away with Zelda, but my entire head was beginning to ache from when Magnus attacked me, and before I knew it, I had passed out again. Statuedramon yelling was the last thing I heard.

* * *

**Zelda**

**Magnus's Hideout**

**2 Hours**

"You've been a very cooperative kidnap victim; nice and quiet the entire time you've been here," Magnus said. "Is there anything you'd like for me to do for you? Something to drink, perhaps?"

"…Why did you bring me here?" I whispered.

"Right to the point, huh? I like that," Magnus said. "Well, as you may have guessed, I have no intention of letting Clive…you know…"

"You're a lousy boss, you know that?!" Clive asked.

"And you can be replaced, you know _that_?" Magnus retorted. "Whatever; _try_ to ignore that pervert over there. I brought you here because…well, you know what I am, right?"

"You're a Bio Hybrid, aren't you?" I asked.

"Exactly; it goes without saying that we Bio Hybrids are built a little differently on the inside than other Humans and Digimon," Magnus said.

_Oh no…does he_—

"Now, being half Digimon, I'm able to…sense things about Humans and Digimon. Instinctively, I guess you could say. And right now, my instinct is telling me…you're one of us."

"W—What do you mean by that?" I asked. _No…no…please don't say it…_

"What else could I mean? You're a Bio Hybrid, aren't you?"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"Hey, Thomas, how're you feeling?" Statuedramon asked.

"My head's still a little sore…Other than that…I don't know what to think…"

"…Damn it, where the hell is Lector?!" Statch exclaimed. "Do you think he forgot about us or something?"

"No, I haven't. Sorry it took me so long to get back…Just what in the name of all that is coated in chocolate happened to the two of you?!" Lector asked.

"Oh, well, while you were gone, we were ambushed by Clive and Lector again, and Clive…well, you know how he does things," Statuedramon said. Lector sighed.

"Hang on; let me get you out of there." Lector raised his spear and slammed the butt end of it onto the ice encasing each of our limbs, shattering it instantly.

"Thanks for the help! Come on, Thomas; we've got to find them!"

"Wait, where are you going?" Lector asked. "And where's Zelda?"

"Magnus and Clive took off with her," I said. "We need to find them as soon as possible!"

"Do you even know where he is?!" Lector asked.

"…Do you?" Statch asked. Lector sighed.

"A few eyewitness reports claim a pair of men matching the descriptions of Clive and Braig have been going in and out an abandoned warehouse a few blocks away from the prison behind us," Lector said.

"Cool, thanks, buddy! C'mon, Thomas, let's—"

"Wait just a minute! You're just going to barge into his hideout? Just the two of you?" Lector asked.

"Are you coming with us?" Statch asked.

"I…I just don't think it's a good idea to go in general," Lector said. "What if it's a trap?! What if that isn't really the location of his hideout?!"

"Even if it isn't his hideout, we still have to try! I am _not_ going to just leave Zelda there with those two!" I said. _Especially not Clive!_ Just the thought of what that man did made me feel enraged. I pulled myself together quickly, and reminded myself that Zelda would undoubtedly have it worse than I.

"Are you coming with us?" Statch asked once more. After a short silence, Lector sighed.

"You two…go on ahead. There's something I need to take care of," Lector said.

"All right; we'll see you there," I said.

* * *

**Zelda**

"You are a Bio Hybrid, aren't you?" Magnus asked.

"…Huh?" _Really?! A…Bio Hybrid?!_ I almost laughed at the absurdity of his question.

"Please tell me you are!" Magnus said. Towering over me, he gave the impression that he could easily snap me in half with his bare hands; his large physique made me feel so tiny, and even smaller and helpless than I probably already was.

"…I…wish I could tell you I was," I said. _At least then, I would have a good excuse…_

"Are you sure you aren't?" Without warning, Magnus leaned down and sniffed me.

"Magnus, what the hell are you doing?!" Clive asked.

"…She's right. She's definitely not a Bio Hybrid," Magnus said. "But she is…something…I just have no idea what that something might be…"

"**Clive…I sense something coming…**"

"Magnus, my shadow says he senses something coming," Clive said.

"**For the last time, I am NOT**—"

"I can hear your shadow perfectly fine from over here, Clive," Magnus said.

"**I am NOT his fucking shadow! I just live in his shadow until I'm strong enough to leave! Why does nobody freaking understand that?!**"

"Damn it, it's probably Thomas and Statuedramon," Magnus said. "I _knew_ I should've incapacitated them _myself_!"

"Hey, _I_ didn't think they would get out of the ice I trapped them in! It's not supposed to melt on its own!"

"**The ice **_**you**_** trapped them in? That's **_**my**_** ice you're using!**" Clive and Magnus continued arguing with Clive's shadow, and they didn't even notice when the only doors to the room we were in opened. Thomas and Statuedramon snuck past the two men and quietly made their way over to me. Unfortunately, before they got to me, they were noticed by Magnus.

"See what you did, Clive?! This wouldn't have happened if you hadn't frozen them, you idiot! I freaking told you ice melts!" Magnus yelled.

"I said I was sorry!"

"Well, you two have fun arguing with each other; we're just going to take our friend back with us," Statuedramon said.

"I'm afraid that ain't going to happen," Magnus brandished his large poleaxe, firmly gripping its handle. "Clive…get her out of here."

"Where should I take her?"

"…Take her…to Cyclamen City. I've heard that place has been abandoned ever since the bandits that overran it were all killed," Magnus said. "The less people around to see an escaped convict like you, the better."

"Yes, sir!"

"Oh, and Clive…don't you even _think_ of doing to her what you did to Victoria," Magnus said. "If you do — and I _will_ know if you do — I personally will tear your head off with my bare hands. Have I made myself understood?"

"Y—Yes sir!" Clive said nervously.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"You aren't going anywhere with her!" I dashed toward Clive, but Magnus swung his poleaxe and struck me across the back, making me fall down to the floor. Clive forcefully grabbed Zelda's arm and pulled her out of the room, but before he left, he snapped his fingers. My legs became trapped in ice, and when I tried to squirm my way out of it, Magnus laughed. Clive slammed the only doors of the room shut, and they, too, became covered in ice.

"If you want to get out of that ice…you'll have to try a lot harder…like _this_!" Magnus swung his arm and struck the ice covering my legs with the blade of his axe. The ice immediately shattered; Statuedramon and I made a run for the doors, but Magnus leapt over us, landing himself between us and the doors. "If you want to get through these doors…if you want to find your friend…you'll have to work your way past _me_! I've been itchin' ta' fight the both of you for a while now, ever since I heard you killed an Ultimate Digimon like Etemon!" Magnus reached into his pocket and pulled out a Digivice, sky blue in color. "Bio Hybrid DNA Charge!" Magnus became in a blindingly gleaming light that shined across the entire room. "Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioBlastmon!"


	37. Anguish

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Magnus's Hideout**

"Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioBlastmon!" The light that emanated from Magnus's Digivice vanished; where he had once stood was now a terrifyingly large Digimon, whose head just barely missed the ceiling. "Tell me…do you still feel as though you can defeat me?!"

"Not…really, no," Statuedramon's eyes were fixated on the huge Digimon.

"Well, no matter; either way, I'd still pummel you! Final Subago̅n Punch!" BioBlastmon raised his fist and slammed it down toward the two of us.

"Statch, we've got to catch it!" I shouted. Before the enormous Bio Hybrid could hit us, Statuedramon and I held up our hands and caught his fist.

"Well, now…don't know how you two managed to stop me…" BioBlastmon struggled to bring his fist down further, but to no avail. "But this ends now; Diamond Tail!" BioBlastmon swung his tail through the air, striking the two of us. The Bio Hybrid laughed maniacally as we soared through the air and crashed into a pile of empty crates, destroying them. "Before I destroy you…is there anything you'd like for me to tell you? You can ask me about anything."

"Tell…us?" I climbed out of the rubble of the destroyed crates.

"I'm not as big of an asshole as Adrian or Sephyrus, you know," BioBlastmon said. "Is there anything you'd like to know?"

"Yes…could you tell us…about quintessence?" I asked.

"Quintessence? …Why would you ask about something like that?" BioBlastmon asked.

"You said we could ask you about anything, right? Well, I want to know about quintessence," I said.

"…Fine. It's not like I was going to let you live, anyway," BioBlastmon muttered. "So, before I begin, what _exactly_ do you know about it?"

"We already know how it's formed; we just want to know why all you Bio Hybrids need it," Statuedramon said.

"…You're wasting your time, then. I only know how to extract it, just like the two of you. I don't know why we need it," BioBlastmon said.

"You can't be serious!" I said.

"Sorry; I make it a personal policy to never tell a lie. Now, are the two of you done asking questions?"

"Damn it, we only asked one question, and you didn't even answer that one!" Statch said.

"…I'll take that as a yes; Diamond Machine Gun!" The crystals covering BioBlastmon's body all began to glow.

"Don't worry; I've got this; Dimensional Shield!" Statuedramon held up his shield just as BioBlastmon fired the crystals from his body at us; however, every single one of the crystals fired were absorbed into Statuedramon's shield.

"What?! No way! What just happened?!" BioBlastmon asked.

"Sword of Dragon's Soul!" Statuedramon's sword fired an icy-blue projection from it that struck BioBlastmon directly in the chest. The enormous Digimon yelled in pain when the attack hit him, and to the Bio Hybrid's surprise, his Digimon form vanished, leaving Magnus behind, struggling to stand up.

"No way…for a Digimon of your stature to be able to defeat me in one hit…it's unthinkable," Magnus said.

"If that's all you're capable of, then we'll be leaving to find our friend now," I said.

"No…wait! You want…to know about quintessence…don't you?" The two of us turned to face him.

"You told us you didn't know anything," Statuedramon said.

"Yes…I did. Quite obviously, that was a lie…Even when I said it was a personal policy of mine to never lie…yeah…that was also a lie…but now…you two deserve to know," Magnus said.

"…Why are you telling us?" I asked. Magnus shrugged.

"Who knows? Nobody's ever defeated me before…Not even any of the other Bio Hybrids…I suppose I just sorta…respect the two of you…for being able to do what nobody else could," Magnus said. "Now, listen up; quintessence…if enough of it is gathered, it can be used to—" Magnus was interrupted when the doors leading to the room suddenly swung open, shattering the ice that covered it.

"Lector…what are you doing here?" Statch asked.

"What do you think? I'm here to help you," Lector said. Brandishing his lance, he ran forth and impaled Magnus in the chest with weapon.

"Lector, what the hell are you doing?!" I yelled. I watched in disbelief as blood began to spill from Magnus's chest and onto the cold, steel floor.

"He was about to tell us something important!" Statch added.

"Doesn't matter; my order from the higher ups was to see that this man died," Lector said. Weakly, Magnus reached up and wrapped his hand around the lance just as Lector forcefully pulled it out. Magnus fell to the floor in a heap, large pools of blood flowing from the hole in his chest.

"Magnus! What were you going to say?!" Statuedramon asked. The Bio Hybrid tried to speak, but all that came from his mouth was blood. He motioned for me to get closer, and as I did, he whispered something into my ear before dying. "Lector…he was about to tell us what the other Bio Hybrids were doing!"

"That doesn't matter. The orders were to eliminate this man," Lector said. "And…to eliminate anyone who may he may have exchanged information with."

"Information…you mean…"

"You two did not speak with this man; do I make myself clear? If anyone asks…" Lector looked away. "Now, I'm going to have to ask that the two of you come with me."

"We can't; Clive's taken Zelda to Cyclamen!" I said. "I'm not going _any_where until I get her back!"

"…I'll send one of my subordinates to Cyclamen immediately. You two _must_ come with me."

"Forget it, Lector! We're not going anywhere with you until we save our friend!" Statuedramon said. "Why are you making this so difficult?!"

"Because those are my orders!" Lector said. "Besides, you can't go after Clive with just the two of you! You don't know what the man or his shadow is capable of! At least go back to the villa and take Apollomon with you!"

"We don't have time for that! You remember why Clive was in jail in the first place, don't you?!" I asked.

"…He was…imprisoned for life without parole for rape and murder," Lector said.

"Exactly! That's why we can't go with you! We aren't going to let someone like that spend another minute alone with Zelda!" Statuedramon said.

"…Fine. Go on; go to Cyclamen," Lector said. "But you _will_ return to me immediately after you find her; _understood_?"

"…Yes, sir," I said.

* * *

**Zelda**

**Cyclamen City**

**8 Hours**

Cyclamen was in as bad a state as it was the last time I was here; run down, destroyed buildings everywhere. _At least the corpses are nowhere to be seen…_ The sun had set a while ago, and the moon hung low in the night sky.

"Well, I guess here is as good of a place as any; just as desolate as any other part of the city," Clive said. "We'll stop here for the night." I looked at the man, unsure of what he was thinking. "Look, you don't have to be _that_ afraid of me; Magnus told me not to…" His tongue ran across his upper lip. "…touch…your….soft…supple…little…body…so…I…won't. Trust me; I'm fucking scared of that man. But, if you try to escape…or, if you try to summon one of your Spirit friends…I'm going to have to hurt you, and I really don't want to see that pretty face of yours messed up." My heart was beating faster than it ever had before; I was absolutely terrified by the thought of being alone with this man, and the reality was infinitely worse.

"…Mr. Howell…is it alright if I…make a request?" I asked.

"Depends on what it is."

"May I…may I summon Renamon?"

"Now, why would you ask that, knowing what I would to do you if you tried that?" Clive asked.

"I'm sorry…I just don't want to be alone. I'm scared…please…let me summon her…"

"…Fine. But you'd better make sure to tell her not to attack me," Clive said.

"…I know." I reached into my satchel and pulled out Renamon's talisman, summoning my friend.

"Is something wrong, Zelda? You look scared," Renamon said.

"That man…please, don't attack him," I whispered.

"I understand," Renamon said. Smiling, Clive walked away. "Why not?" she whispered.

"If you attack him…he'll hurt me," I said. "Can you…stay here with me? I don't want to be alone with him…"

"Of course I will, Zelda. I'll stay with you as long as you need me to," Renamon said. The two of us sat down behind a pile of rubble on the opposite side of Clive. Renamon placed her arms around me and never let go all through the night, and I did the same to her.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**20 Minutes**

"Cyclamen City, once again…" Statuedramon sighed. "Well, at least we'll be the only ones here; we won't have to deal with those annoying assholes that used to live here, right? And with the bandits that wrecked this place all gone, we shouldn't find anyone here! Well, other than Zelda, and…Well, you know what I mean."

"Don't be so sure; Vajramon may have defeated all the bandits that were here last time, but more bandits could've come here. Places like this are a safe haven for them," I said. _At least the corpses are nowhere to be seen…_ Statuedramon and I continued our way through the damaged city, finding no signs of anybody around.

"Do you think maybe they didn't go to Cyclamen?" Statuedramon asked.

"No; you saw the way Clive acted around Magnus. He was definitely afraid of him," I said. "If he had disobeyed him like that…Clive knew what would have happened to him. They're here."

"Or maybe not here yet?" Statuedramon added.

"Yes, that's another possibility…"

"Well, there is _somebody_ here," Statuedramon said. "Up ahead…I can't tell who it is…but it looks like a big group of people."

"Let's go check it out," I said. The two of us quietly crept over to the people Statch saw. "Bandits…I told you there would be some here."

"I never doubted you," Statch replied. "Should we do something about it? It looks like they're surrounding someone. Look; they're all facing the same direction." We crept closer and closer, trying to get a better view of what was going on, when suddenly, a huge lance swung through the air, toppling several of the bandits over, to the shock of several of the other bandits. Several of them had run away, but most of them advanced toward the person who had killed their allies; a tall, young, blonde woman.

"Fighting a group that large by herself?" I asked.

"A woman after my own heart," Statuedramon chuckled. "C'mon, let's help her!" The two of us ran forth, jabbing our swords through the backs of two bandits that were about to ambush the woman from behind. When the woman heard them fall to the ground in a heap, she turned around and noticed the two of us. Glaring, she turned back around and stood still, ignoring the bandits around her. "I take back that last comment; apparently, she expects us to do all the work ourselves! Dianamon or Zelda would _never_ do something like that!"

"Statch, quit complaining and focus on the battle!" I said, lopping off the head of one bandit. Not long after, the two of us were nearly done driving off the cutthroats.

"Well, that's the last of 'em!" Statch said, removing his blade from a bandit's gut. Looking over to the young woman, who hadn't moved an inch since she noticed us, he asked, "Hey, are you all right, Miss?"

"They're all gone; have they hurt you?" I asked, placing my hand on her shoulder, but as I did, she flinched and slapped my hand away.

"Hands off; I don't let fucking _Humans_ touch me!" the woman snapped, an angry look on her face. "And I don't need to be saved by any of you vile scum!"

"Vile...Human?" Statch had a confused look on his face. "But...you're a Human, too, aren't you? Or are you a Digimon?"

"Oh, shut up, you digital parasite! I'm not like either of you bastards! Get the hell away from me!" The young woman stormed off in a huff, leaving the two of us behind.

"…What the bloody hell just happened?!" Statch asked.


	38. The Mark

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Cyclamen City**

I couldn't believe it. We had searched all night long throughout this damn city, but we still didn't see any sign of Zelda. And now, the moon had nearly vanished from sight, and the sun was peeking out over the horizon.

"I can't believe we didn't find her," I said. "We searched all night, and not one sign of her…"

"Hey, Thomas, who do you think that woman was last night?" Statch asked. "She looked…kind of like Zelda…"

"We've no way of knowing until she tells us," I said. "Come on; let's continue our search. Zelda's got to be around here somewhere…She _has_ to be…"

* * *

**Zelda**

"Rise and shine, little lady," Clive said, hoping to wake me. Not that it was necessary. I had been awake all night, too afraid to fall asleep. Fortunately, Clive had been true to his word, and the two of us even slept on opposite sides of one of the many destroyed buildings of the city. However, this did not stop the fear, and even though Renamon stayed with me all night, and was still here with me now, I was still scared. "Glad to see you didn't try to escape last night. Not like it would've worked; I've got good hearing. If I had heard you moving from that far away, even while I was asleep, I would've known."

"Well…I'm glad you kept your word, too," I said.

"And everyone's happy!" Clive exclaimed. Turning to Renamon, he asked, "So, are you going to be staying with us this whole time, or what?"

"You think I'd really leave Zelda alone with someone like _you_?" Renamon asked. "As the two of you have requested, I will not attack you unless you give me reason to, but don't think I'm leaving her behind for a single _second_ with someone like you."

"Ok…I guess I don't really blame you," Clive said. "So, as long as we all keep our hands to ourselves, nobody gets hurt."

"Yes; so you say," Renamon said.

"Well, whatever; I'm going to go see if I can find us something to eat," Clive said. "Don't want you dying on me; Magnus would kill me if you did…" Clive gave the two of us one final look before walking away.

"…If I were to die…Magnus would kill that man," I said to myself. "If that man dies…there would be one less problem Thomas would have to deal with…"

"Zelda, what are you saying?!" Renamon asked.

"If I were to die, that man would be killed for it," I said. "Don't you see? I have to—"

"NO! Out of the question!" Renamon shouted. "Don't you realize how many people would miss you if you went away?! How can you even _think_ of saying something like that?!"

"No one would miss me," I said.

"That's not true! I would…And what about Thomas and Statuedramon?! What about everyone at Lachesis?!"

"If I told them what I really am, then they would hate me. That way, nobody would be sad if I were to—"

"What about me?!" Renamon asked. "What about Vajramon?! Don't you think we'd be sad if you died?!"

"I'm not doing this to end my life, Renamon; I'm doing this because I know Magnus would kill Clive if I died," I said. "We cannot let someone like Clive roam free, and I feel like Magnus is the only person strong enough to kill him. He needs to be stopped…at any cost…"

"WHAT ABOUT YOUR SISTER?!" Renamon shouted. "YOU'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR HER FOR OVER SIX YEARS; ARE YOU JUST GOING TO GIVE UP ON YOURSELF BEFORE YOU FIND HER?!"

"…Hannah…if you are able to find her…please tell her I'm sorry…even though I don't deserve forgiveness." I stood up off the ground and walked over to a sharp rock, but before I could pick it up, Renamon's paw gripped me tightly around the wrist.

"Zelda; I am _not_ going to let you kill yourself!" Renamon said. "I care about you too much to let anything happen to you, and I know Thomas and Statuedramon feel the same way, no matter _what_ you are!"

"Renamon…I—I'm sorry, but I—"

"Jeez, I go away for six years, and you're already thinking about killing yourself?" I turned around, and the person I saw standing close behind me was someone I never thought I would see again.

"Hannah…oh, Hannah, it's really you!" My older sister walked up to me and gently placed her arms around me, pulling me into a hug after placing her cherished lance on the ground.

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long," Hannah whispered. "Oh, and Renamon's with you, too; how have you been? I haven't seen you in a while, either."

"I'm fine," Renamon said.

"I'm so glad…you're okay…" Tears had begun to form in my eyes as I embraced my sister for the first time in what seemed to be a lifetime. "When we split up…I waited for the longest time, but you didn't return…I set off looking for you, but I…I just couldn't find you, no matter where I looked…"

"I'm sorry, Zelda; I shouldn't have left you alone that long without saying something; I really didn't think I would have taken that long," Hannah said. "Now, who was being mean to you? Who made my sweet baby sister cry?"

"Oh…no one…I'm just so…so happy to see you again," I said.

"I'm back," Clive said unexpectedly. "I wasn't able to find anything for us to eat."

"Who is _that_?!" Hannah asked stiffly.

"That's the man that threatened to assault your little sister," Renamon said. I stared at the Digimon Spirit, and to my surprise, on her face was a small, but quite smug grin. "Just playing the part of the puppeteer, Milady…"

"By Goddess Arcadia, I am fucking _sick_ of people being mean to you!" Hannah crouched down and picked up her lance before walking over to Clive. I called out to my sister for her to stop, but she ignored me.

"Renamon, why did you do that? We don't know Clive's capable of!" I said.

"Don't worry; I remember how superb a fighter Hannah is. There's no way Clive will be able to defeat her in a head-on fight," Renamon said.

"Any last words?!" Hannah yelled at Clive.

"I'm sorry; who the hell are you?" Clive asked.

"I am sick to death of the cruelty people like you show to my little sister; she's the sweetest and gentlest person on Arcadia! She wouldn't harm a Flymon!"

"What are you talking about? I didn't so much a touch her!" Clive protested.

"He threatened that if she tried to escape, he would find her and kill her," Renamon said.

"Oh, that does it; you are _so_ dead!"

"What?! I didn't say anything about _killing_ her!" However, Clive's objection was in vain; Hannah had already begun madly swinging her lance in the air, narrowly missing Clive's throat and head many times. "Okay, okay; I'm out of here!"

"Get back here, you bastard!" Hannah yelled. "Damn it; he got away…Zelda, sweetie, I'll be right back, okay?"

"But…Hannah, you don't—"

"I promise I'll be back soon, sweetie." Hannah smiled gently at me, and then took off after Clive.

"Trust me; she'll be okay," Renamon said. Without warning, the fur around her neck stood on end.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Something's here…someone's here! Someone powerful…" Slowly, I turned around, and standing behind me was yet another person I never thought I'd see again.

"I need to talk to you," Flamedramon said.

* * *

**Sephyrus**

"I thank you all for coming here today, my comrades," I said. Standing before me were my fellow Bio Hybrids Abigail, Adrian, Irene, and Michalis.

"Whatever; just make this quick," Adrian said. "The boss has a job she wants me to do."

"Same here," Abigail said. For reasons yet to be explained to me, Abigail kept her arm wrapped around Irene, and the younger girl had the most forlorn expression of sadness on her face.

"Why are we here?" Michalis asked.

"Yesterday…Magnus was killed." This remark was met with squabbles of protest and surprise from the other Bio Hybrids. Their concerns and confusion were of no surprise to me. They were still Human. I had been lost long ago to the darkness, so Magnus's death left me feeling as emotionless as ever.

* * *

**Zelda**

"I need to talk to you," Flamedramon said.

"Flamedramon, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Ever since I found my way out of that laboratory with Andromon, I've been trying to find you. There's…something I need to ask you."

"…I understand. Renamon…can you leave us alone for a moment?"

"If I'm not going to leave you alone with Clive, what makes you think I'll leave you alone with Flamedramon?!" Renamon asked.

"It's okay; he's not going to hurt me," I said.

"…Very well. I will take my leave of you for now." Renamon began glowing, and in an instant, she disappeared.

"Zelda…you were born in the desert, weren't you?" Flamedramon asked.

"Yes; I suppose it _is_ rather easy to tell, isn't it?" I asked.

"True; Humans from the desert dress in thin, light, and revealing clothing to avoid becoming overheated from the sun," Flamedramon said. "People from the desert…they can be very cruel to those who do not share in their beliefs." I sadly looked down towards the ground.

"Yes; they strictly follow the teachings of the Goddess Arcadia," I added.

"You…you are just like me," Flamedramon said.

"W—what do you mean?"

"You're one of the Marked, aren't you?" My heart nearly stopped when I heard that word.

_He knows…he knows what that is? I…what should I do?!_ "I don't…know what you're talking about…"

"Don't play dumb with me!" Flamedramon snapped. Reaching out, he grabbed my right arm by the wrist. His sharp claws dug into my skin, made me bleed; the pain was intense, as if I was being burned, but I did not cry out. "It's right here, isn't it?!" With his right claw, he yanked off the glove covering my right hand, on the back of which was the tear-shaped symbol that had caused me so much pain, agony, and ridicule in my youth. Flamedramon stared at the symbol, the symbol that signified that I was one of the Marked. "_This_…is what I'm talking about."

"You…knew?"

"When we were at the lab, I had my suspicions. That's why I had to follow you; I just had to know if you were like me." Flamedramon let go of my arm and handed me my glove, and I promptly placed it back on my right hand, covering the fearful mark. "I had actually heard there was a wall mural with that very symbol. It is said that there is ancient writing on it, giving information about us, and I was hoping it would tell me more about myself."

"Like what?"

"…Twenty years ago…I used to be a Human. I had the mark, too…and I was murdered because of it," Flamedramon said. "Some benevolent force out there — perhaps it was the Goddess Arcadia herself — saw fit to give me life once more, and when I awoke from what I thought was to be my eternal rest, I had the form of this Digimon…rather than the 10-year old Human boy I was when I was viciously slain."

"…Is this why you've become a murderer?"

"If other people are going to deny my right to exist, what other choice do I have? Everyone…everyone except for the Marked, like the two of us, must perish! I'm surprised you aren't doing the same."

"No…no, I could never do what you do!" I said. "I'm part of a mercenary guild, but I don't even like sending the Digimon I Summon to hurt the bandits we've been ordered to get rid of…" Flamedramon stared at me for the longest time.

"So…_that's_ how you are," he finally said. "I suppose that isn't a bad thing. I had heard you were a Summoner, so I thought you would be able to help me."

"I could never help someone who only thinks of hurting others!"

"Fine. I'll be going, then," Flamedramon said. "…Your friends. Do they know what you are?"

"No…that's probably why they're still my friends," I said.

"If they ever do find out about you…if they begin to hate you…I will find you. You will come with me…and you _will_ help me," Flamedramon said. I said nothing in return as the Digimon vanished into the distance.

"Damn it…I couldn't find him!" A voice came from behind me.

"Hannah…" I turned as my older sister walked up to me, cautiously looking around the demolished city.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to find him, Zelda," Hannah said. "But I promise; I will not let that man hurt you. Nobody will hurt my baby sister ever again…Oh, Zelda; I'm so happy to see you again!" Hannah pulled me into another comforting hug.

"…I've missed you so much, Hannah…" I flung my arms around her slender waist. The two of us stood, embracing each other, and I wished this moment would never end.

* * *

**Sephyrus**

"Dead?! What do you mean Magnus is dead?!" Adrian asked.

"Forgive me if I don't seem shaken up," Michalis said. I saw Irene glance up at Abigail.

"Who…who was Magnus?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Magnus…was very easily the strongest among all of us," Abigail said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he'd have been capable of taking us all on at once and emerge victorious…"

"So, how did he die?" Adrian asked.

"He was fighting Thomas and Statuedramon, from what I've been told," I said. "Statuedramon was somehow able to get BioBlastmon to turn back into his Human form."

"Statuedramon?! _That_ little runt?! But…he's only a Rookie! BioBlastmon has strength comparable to that of a Mega!" Adrian shouted.

"Statuedramon was not the one who killed Magnus, though," I continued. "Apparently, the knight known as Lector stabbed him in the chest after he had reverted to his Human form."

"Why the hell would he do a thing like that?!" Abigail asked.

"Because I ordered him to."

"Oh, I'm so glad you could join us," I said. A man had just entered the room we were in.

"Who's there?!" Adrian asked.

"Everyone, please welcome our newest comrade and — if I may say — strongest Bio Hybrid…Knight Commander Saias."

"Saias? _The_ Knight Commander Saias?! How'd he get to be a Bio Hybrid like us?" Adrian asked.

"He's been one of us for quite some time now," I said. "Ever since I battled him in the woods behind his villa and dragged his half-dead body over to Braig's lab before it froze over."

"So, why'd you order Lector to kill Magnus?" Abigail asked.

"Because he was weak. Apparently, Magnus was about to tell Thomas everything about what we do before Lector showed up," Saias said.

"So, does he know about you?" Adrian asked. "Lector, I mean?"

"…No. He still thinks I'm dead."

"I also called you all here to tell you something else of vital importance," I said. "Apparently, it has been discovered…that quintessence is incapable of bringing others back from the dead like we once thought."

"What?!" Abigail asked.

"I'm afraid that this information changes a few promises made," I continued. "Promises made to bring others back to life…Well, whoever wished for such a thing is going to have to live with the fact that whoever they wanted revived is forever deceased."

"Really? That's interesting," Michalis said sarcastically.

"You are all dismissed," I said.

"Jeez, talk about a big waste of time," Adrian said as he and the others, including Saias, left. Abigail, however, remained behind, and Irene stayed at her side, holding on as if for dear life.

"What the hell do you mean, quintessence can't bring someone back to life?!" Abigail asked.

"I mean exactly what I say; nothing more, nothing less. You are dismissed, Abigail."

"You can't expect me to continue working for you, knowing that!" Abigail said. "You can't expect me to risk my life for _nothing_!"

"Oh, are you saying you would rather be slaughtered? Because I can make that happen…if you decide to refuse our orders." Abigail glared at me, but before long, she walked away in a huff and stormed out of the room.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

The sky had grown from a pale blue to a deep, violet orange. The sun had almost vanished from the sky, and the shadows of demolished buildings were lengthening. "Well, that's one more day wasted, and still no sign of her," Statuedramon sighed. "The sun's starting to go down…maybe we should call it quits for the day?"

"You can give up if you want to, Statch, but I won't rest again until I find her," I said.

"I didn't say I was giving up altogether! Look; this is a fairly large city; there must be lots of places we haven't checked yet! I'm just saying that when the sun goes down, it'll be more difficult to find her in a place this large!"

"Even when the sun does go down, I'm not going to stop searching for her."

"Admirable determination. But I wonder; do you think she really wants to be found?" A voice from behind me said.

"…Flamedramon?!" I looked up and gasped, nearly choking.

"What are you doing here?!" Statuedramon asked. "If it's a fight you're looking for, then—"

"I came here looking for something," Flamedramon said. "I found what I was looking for a little while ago, and I thought I should show it to the two of you."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Come with me." Statch and I reluctantly followed Flamedramon around the corner of a building. The sky had become completely dark, and many stars were coming into view as he led us through Cyclamen. At last, we stopped at a brick wall with an odd design on it. "There was supposed to be ancient writing here that gave information about this symbol…but they have worn away with age. Whatever. You two are familiar with who Goddess Arcadia is, are you not?"

"How could we not be? She's the one who created all life," Statuedramon said. "She raised this continent out of the ocean, and those that were the first created by her named it after her…Arcadia."

"What is this?" I asked, looking at the design on the wall. It was golden and tear-shaped, and it was surrounded by three triangles: one red, one blue, and one green.

"The Goddess Arcadia is a loving and benevolent goddess, with a heart vast and gentle enough to forgive the crimes of even the most wicked of souls," Flamedramon said. "However…there is one crime this so-called loving goddess refuses to forgive. Those who have committed the crime and all of their descendants from now until the end of time are forever emblazoned with this mark."


	39. Unforgiveable Sin

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Cyclamen City**

"So, what kind of crimes have these people committed?" I asked. Flamedramon shook his head.

"…It is not for me to say what this crime is," he said reluctantly.

"Don't know it, do you," Statuedramon said.

"Yes, I know it! I just don't feel as though I have the right to tell you what that crime is…when someone else can do a much better job of explaining," Flamedramon said. "All I will say is this; those who have this mark, even if they have not committed the crime, are still affected by the crime. The goddess sees these people as little more than refuse for having committed this crime and, as such, she has denied such people the right to exist. Those who follow her teachings to the letter…they act accordingly, and cruelly mistreat and occasionally murder these unfortunate people."

"Damn it, Flamedramon, what did they do?!" Statuedramon asked. "Flamedramon? Hey, where did he go?!" I, however, ignored the Rookie as he looked around in vain for the missing Digimon.

"This symbol…what could it mean?" I asked.

"Well, if Flamedramon hadn't run away, I could've forced an answer out of him!" Statch grunted.

"I don't think that would have been a very good idea," I said.

"Well, yeah, but I…Thomas, someone's coming!"

"Where?" Soon, the sound of approaching footsteps filled the air, as did the sound of someone calling out our names.

"That voice…Zelda!" The two of us looked around eagerly for our friend, and within a matter of seconds, she emerged from behind a collapsed house. Noticing us, she immediately began running over to us.

"Zelda, are you okay?!" I asked as she threw herself into my arms. "Clive didn't do anything to you, did he?! You're not hurt, are you?!"

"No…no, he didn't do anything to me," Zelda said. "I was just…so frightened while I was with him. I couldn't sleep at all last night…"

"I'm glad you're alright," Statuedramon said.

"Yes…and in the morning, the four of us can go back to Saias's villa," Zelda said.

"The four of us?" I asked.

"Yeah; you're not going to believe it, but I finally find my sister, Hannah!" Zelda jumped up and down excitedly.

"You did?! That's incredible; where is she?" I asked.

"She's right over…" Zelda's smile faded when she saw a woman, the same woman Statch and I encountered last night, standing behind her and glaring. "Hannah, what's wrong?"

_That woman…_she's_ Hannah?!_

"You're _friends_ with these two?" Hannah asked.

"Yes; they're my best friends," Zelda said. "Is that…going to be a problem?"

"Have you forgotten the way Humans and Digimon have treated you in the past?" Hannah asked. "Or do you just not care?"

"No. I haven't forgotten, but Thomas and Statuedramon would never do what the people of Adonis did!"

"…Perhaps not, but I…" Hannah turned away. "I'm sorry. I just can't bring myself to trust these two. Come see me when you're ready to leave."

"Hannah, wait!" Zelda called after her sister. Hannah, however, did not turn back as she walked away.

"I'm sorry," I said. "Maybe it would be best if Statch and I left."

"No, you don't have to," Zelda said. "I'm glad you're here; it's felt like it's been a long time since I've seen the two of you…" Zelda began turning around to face us when she suddenly stopped. "…That…what is…that…?" She was looking pale-faced and wide-eyed at the wall Flamedramon had taken me to.

"Oh, that? Flamedramon led us here earlier," Statuedramon said.

"That symbol…did he…did he tell you anything about it?"

"Yeah, he told us a few…interesting things about it," I said.

"…No…no…Thomas…I…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Zelda had begun slowly backing away from the two of us just as tears began falling down her face.

"Zelda, what's wrong?" I asked.

"I'm so…sorry…please, don't…hit me…don't…hurt…" In a panic, she raised her arms to cover her face.

"Zelda, I would _never_ hurt you!" I said, completely shocked by what she had just said and confused by what was going on.

"You don't need to be afraid of us," Statuedramon said. "We're not going to hurt you…and we won't let anyone else do it, either."

"Whatever's wrong, you can tell us," I said. "Please; we want you to feel better." She continued breathing heavily for a few seconds, but soon, the look of fright disappeared from her face, though she still looked quite wary, and was still crying.

"Thomas...Statuedramon…I'm so sorry. I know I should have told you this earlier, but...I was afraid. I didn't want you…you to hate me...because of this secret…" Zelda sobbed, more and more tears running down her face as they glistened in the light of the newly risen moon. "You and Statuedramon were the first friends I had ever made that weren't Spirits; I just didn't want to lose that friendship!"

"Zelda, you know I could never hate you, no matter what your secret is," I said, trying not to look at her. For some reason, her tears made me feel...uneasy. It made my heart feel weird to see her so sad... _Damn it…It makes my chest hurt to see her so sad…_

"The same goes for me, Zelda," Statuedramon said, reaching up to grab hold of her hand. "You're a very important person to the both of us; no matter what, neither of us could ever hate you."

"Please, tell us your secret, Zelda; I promise, neither of us will get mad at you, nor will we hate you or anything like that," I said. "If you're just not ready to say it yet, I understand, but just know this; if you ever need someone to confide in, I'll always be there for you. If it ever gets to be too much for you, and you need a shoulder to cry on, I shall provide." Tears were pouring faster and faster down her face at my every word, and though I continued to feel this strange sadness in my heart, I could tell she was happy. After a few moments, she slowly lifted up her right arm, revealing the slight but noticeable gashes on her forearm.

"Who did this to you?" I asked, gently grabbing hold of her wrist.

"Oh...it was Flamedramon," Zelda said. Anger flashed across my face, so she quickly added, "Oh, he didn't mean to do it; he was just kind of in a hurry…"

"That's no excuse for hurting you!" Statuedramon shouted. Zelda forced herself to smile through the tears, and slowly, she reached over with her left hand and pulled off the glove on her right hand, which she held up to show me. On the back of it was an odd symbol — the same one that was on the wall Flamedramon led Statch and me to.

"Thomas...Statuedramon...I'm one of the Marked." Both Statuedramon and I gave her a blank look.

"What's that?" Statch asked.

"There is both Human and Digimon blood flowing through my veins; this mark is proof of that."

_So…that's what the symbol Flamedramon showed us meant…_Zelda had stopped crying — much to my relief — and, though she still looked quite upset, she didn't have the same look of fear in her eyes that she did when she first started crying. _Was Flamedramon…trying to tear us apart because of something like _that_?! The bastard…_

"What do you mean...Digimon blood?" Statuedramon asked, slightly in awe and slightly in confusion. "I didn't even know that Humans and Digimon could...you know..."

"…You were upset we would hate you because of something like that?" I asked. "Flamedramon…told us that Goddess Arcadia sees you as refuse, that you aren't supposed to exist…Is that because you have Digimon blood in you?"

"It's not just that I have Digimon blood in my veins. Cyprus is a harsh and barren province, comprised of sand as far as the eye can see. Considering the terrain, it's no surprise to anyone that it would give birth to such a stringent religion, or that its people would be so earnest and resolute. The village where me and my sister lived, Adonis, was among those strictly religious settlements, and followed the teachings of the Goddess Arcadia to the letter...one of those laws — the one that was the most stressed — is that Humans and Digimon are completely forbidden from…from intermingling." Zelda paused, and cast a nervous glance at me. "My parents both broke this law, and because of it, my father abandoned me and my sister, Hannah, in that village. He was so afraid of being found out, that he left us behind; he treated us like trash and left us with a cruel and abusive mother, and never came back…because he was so ashamed of the Mark that he had been emblazoned with. The people in the village...they were even worse. Since, by the standards of Goddess Arcadia, those who carry the mark aren't supposed to exist, they were unbelievably cruel. Some ignored us, but most yelled at us, insulted us, spit at us, threw things; they'd even attack us..." Zelda moved aside the clump of golden hair that had long been covering her right eye, and underneath it, a thin, but rather long scar. "This scar is the result of my own mother doing just that." Zelda let down her hair once more, and then looked back down at the ground. "That...is what I am. I am a violation of the sacred goddess's number one rule. This is why, everywhere we go, Digimon insult me and try to attack me, like Meramon did in Linnea. I...I'll understand if the two of you—" Before Zelda could finish her sentence, I walked over to her and hugged her, clearly surprising her.

"See? What did I tell you? There's nothing you could tell us that would make us hate you," I whispered.

"The fact that you have Digimon blood running in your veins has nothing to do with how much we care about you," Statch said, giving Zelda's hand a little squeeze. I released her and looked her straight in the eye.

"You're our friend, Zelda; nothing will ever change that." Zelda slumped down to her knees, tears once again welling up in her eyes.

"But...according to the goddess who created this world, I don't exist! I—I…"

"If that's really what a so-called loving and benevolent goddess thinks, then I don't want anything to do with her," I said as I also bent down onto my knees. "I care about you too much to just abandon you just because some faceless goddess claims you don't exist." Unable to control herself anymore, Zelda burst into tears and threw herself into my arms, sobbing uncontrollably into my chest. As she continued to cry, I noticed the strange feeling in my chest welling up once more.

_What is this strange feeling?_ I thought. _Am I...could I possibly be...falling in love with her?_ As I looked down at her, I smiled slightly at the thought, and hugged her small, trembling body tighter and closer as she continued to cry.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry I didn't…trust…you," Zelda said after a few minutes.

"Hey, don't worry about it; you've obviously been through a lot because of that mark," I said. "But just know this; the mark may have made you experience things a girl as kind and as gentle as you should never have to experience…but I will never let those things happen to you ever again."

"Thomas…thank you…so much," Zelda said. After a few moments, she eventually stopped crying, much to the relief of the odd feeling in my chest and dizzying knot in my stomach. "Thank you…for not hating me."

"I could never hate you," I said as I wiped away a lone tear that was resting on her cheek.

"The members of Lachesis…what about them? If they find out about what I am—"

"They could never hate you. Especially Chrysania; it seems she's come to think of you as a big sister."

"…Chrysania…I can't wait to see her again," Zelda said.

"I know what you mean; her cheery smile is quite contagious, isn't it?" Statch asked. Zelda nodded. "I've got a question, though; do you remember a little while ago, when Saias brought us to his villa, and you ate more food than a Human of your size should have been able to?"

"Yeah, when we were in Linnea in Etemon's castle, I remember seeing you eat as much as Statch," I said. "How did you do that?"

"Oh, that…that was because of the Digimon blood in me," she replied. "It seems that every Human Marked inherits a Digimon's appetite, in addition to increased longevity of varying lifespans. Because of that…I just always feel like I'm hungry when I'm not eating. I've gotten used to it, and I've grown accustomed to the hunger pains from when I tried eating less so as not to arouse suspicion of what I really am, but even so, it still hurts a lot when I eat less than I normally do…"

"Zelda…" I gently placed my hand on top of her shoulder. "I wish you would've told me you were hurting so much…"

"I'm sorry…I just didn't want anyone to find out about what I am…"

"Well, we can go back to Saias's villa tomorrow morning, and when we do, I can make you the largest meal you've ever seen," I said. "The next time you're hurting…I want you to tell me, so I can help you feel better."

"Thomas, you can cook?!" Statch asked. "Why did you never tell _me_?!"

"Because I knew you would bother me during a job until I gave you something to eat," I said.

"You're mean!" Statch pouted. "Even if you _are_ probably right…Actually, make that most definitely correct…"

"Okay, okay; I'll make something for you, too…"

"Thank you, Thomas. I really appreciate it," Zelda said. "In the morning…can we start heading back to the villa in the morning?"

"Of course we can. Oh, but first, we're going to need to find Lector," I said. "I think he wanted to tell us something…"

"Ah, who cares about that knight?" Statch asked.

"Thomas…is it okay if I spend the night with my sister?" Zelda asked.

"Of course it is. You don't need to ask for my permission for anything."

"Thank you, Thomas. For everything."


	40. Fate Unstoppable

**Zelda**

**Cyclamen City**

**10 Minutes**

After a few minutes of searching, I was finally able to find Hannah in one of the less broken-down houses, sitting by herself in the middle of what seemed to be the house's living room. Though, based on how badly the house was actually damaged, it could very well have been any room. Amazingly, there was a lit bulb that illuminated the room, apparently having avoided destruction.

"Zelda...It's been so long. I...I'm glad you're safe and alive," Hannah said, smiling gently at me as I sat down on the floor in front of her and a fire that she had started to keep warm. "You've grown into such a strong and beautiful young woman...so different from the adorable little girl I vowed to always protect after our father abandoned us."

"Strong and…beautiful...me? Do you…really think so?" I asked nervously, blushing slightly as Hannah nodded. I continued to smile as she began stroking my hair. "Well, I'm not so sure that I'm strong, and I know I'm not very pretty, but if you say I am…then I'm glad I grew up to be someone like you, then; it's what I've dreamed about since I was a little girl. I always felt like a bother to you, having you protect me from the people in our village...and our mother..."

"You could never be a bother to me, sweetie," Hannah said, a slightly shocked expression on her face. "I loved watching out for you like that; it made feel that, even though I'm one of the Marked, I had a purpose in life. Do you remember when those kids were throwing rocks and stuff at you, and that one hit your face and made you bleed?"

"Yes...you...stabbed and murdered some of them..." A look of repulsion suddenly spread across my face, though Hannah didn't seem to notice.

"That's why I was gone for so long, dear…I was tracking down the ones that had escaped. You'll be glad to know that I have successfully killed each one of them," Hannah said, smiling proudly as I felt a dizzying sickness come over me. "And do you remember that one time when our mother was being especially cruel to you?"

"You'll have to be more specific," I said, growing more and more nauseated by the second.

"I was...speaking of the first time she actually, intentionally harmed you," Hannah said. "Even though she was kind of drunk at the time…"

_How could I forget? That's how I got the scar under my eye…_

"She always just yelled at us — mainly at you, for some reason — but she never once harmed either of us until that night...when she tried to forcibly remove our Marks…you remember what happened next, don't you?"

"Yes...you stabbed and murdered her…after she passed out…" I said. "After you found her lying unconscious on the ground, after she had cut the skin off my hand…you killed her…"

"Yes; I have never been more proud of myself than at that moment. I really felt that I had finally done something right, and that I had done a good job protecting you," Hannah sighed, a relaxed look on her face. She continued to stroke my hair, eventually brushing away the hair that covered my face. "It's such a shame, really..."

"…Anna? Do you…ever regret murdering those innocent kids? Or our mother, perhaps?" I asked.

"Hmm? Oh, not at all, and besides; those kids were far from innocent if they were making my baby sister cry...I was just thinking about how much of a shame it is that such an ugly scar like this one would cause you to hide your pretty face," Hannah gently ran her thumb over the scar under my right eye. "When we were young, I always loved looking into your eyes. They're so beautiful, even prettier than sapphires, and I loved how much they lit up the few times you smiled back then..."

"Oh, Anna…I…I missed you so much," I said.

"I've missed you too, sweetie," Hannah said. "I thought about you each and every day we were apart."

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"What do you think it was that Lector wanted to tell us, anyway?" Statuedramon asked. "He told us why he wanted us to go with him, didn't he?"

"I don't think he ever did; I guess we'll find out why when we get there," I said.

"Thomas…I have another question," Statuedramon said nervously.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Well, you know how Zelda said that she has Human and Digimon blood?" I nodded. "How…is that even possible? How can Humans and Digimon…"

"I suppose only certain kinds of Digimon can do that. Either way, I'd rather not think about _how_ it's done," I interjected. Statuedramon sighed. "…What's wrong?"

"Well…let's just say it's _possible_ I might have a child…of the Human variety…You see, I don't quite remember using—"

"Good night, Statuedramon."

* * *

**10 Hours**

All through the night, I lay on my back, unable to sleep with the loud, echoing cacophony of noises made by Statuedramon — most of which was snoring — that disrupted the peaceful silence. Now, as the sun was low in the sky, I deeply regretted not having moved farther away from my friend during the night. It was a wonder that I ever got any sleep at all, having him around.

"I sure slept well," Statch yawned. "How 'bout you?"

"No comment." I looked away from the shorter Digimon, noticing that Zelda was approaching us. To my relief, she wore her usual, lovely smile across her face.

"Good morning," she said. "How did you two sleep last night?"

"I slept great," Statch said.

"I was with Statuedramon _all_ night long," I said.

"So, you didn't sleep at all?" Zelda asked.

"Not a wink."

"You're mean, Thomas!" Statch whined.

"And you deprive me of sleep," I retorted. "So, where's Hannah?"

"She promised she'd come with me to meet you, but I don't see her," Zelda said. After a moment, she breathed in and sighed. "You know…The Marked can be either Human or Digimon, and we have attributes of both."

"So, what attribute of Digimon did you inherit?" Statuedramon asked. "You look like a Human to me."

"As I said the other night, I'm able to eat quite a lot. It's because I've inherited a Digimon's voracious appetite," Zelda said. "I imagine all the other Marked are like that as well."

_That explains a lot…_ I thought back to each and every time I've witnessed her out-eat Statuedramon while her belly showed only a small bulge. _She must have a bottomless pit in her stomach…I'd better be prepared to cook an entire mountain of food for her when we get back home._

"It also seems as though we stop showing signs of aging after a certain point, and we may even have a lengthened lifespan due to our Digimon heritage. And yet…Hannah and I appear as Humans on the outside. Because we have attributes of both Humans and Digimon, we are treated as being neither by both races, and instead, we are given our own, separate race, and treated like dirt."

"…I'll make sure you are _never_ treated that way again," I whispered. She smiled bashfully at me.

"Oh, Hannah, there you are," Zelda said. Her older sister began slowly walking up to her, cautiously glancing toward Statuedramon and me.

"Because we are neither Human nor Digimon, the two races created by Goddess Arcadia untold thousands of years ago, we are treated like some form of an accident, like an insult to the very goddess that created them," Hannah said. "Because of this, we are forced to live far away from both. We Marked must do the same. Zelda, I am going to have to forbid you from seeing these two ever again."

"What?! You _forbid_ me?! What right do you have to say something like that?!" Zelda asked. I stared at her. It was the first time I had ever seen her angry. Her eyes shined intensely, and her voice was filled with a very passionate rage.

"I have _every_ right to do so!" Hannah said. Without any warning, she immediately and hurriedly took off her shirt and turned around. In the middle of her upper back was the symbol that revealed she was one of the Marked. "_This_ is why we can't be with them. _This_ is the reason you cannot be friends with them. We are different from them. We cannot coexist. You and I should not even exist in the first place!" I sighed, and looked sadly down at the ground. To my left, Statuedramon was staring up in wonder at Hannah's bare chest. I smacked him upside the head, and he instantly looked away.

"Hannah…I…I told them what I am, you know," Zelda said. "They still want to be with me…They still want to be friends with me…" A single tear fell down her cheek.

"…We're leaving this city shortly," Hannah said, turning around as she began putting her shirt back on.

"…I'm not going with you," Zelda said.

"_What_?!"

"I'm…sorry. I love you, Hannah, and I'm happy to know you're still alive, but I…I just can't be with someone who thinks the way _you_ do. Thomas and Statuedramon…they're my best friends. I told them what I am, and it doesn't make any difference to them what I am."

"Zelda, you can't be serious!" Hannah exclaimed.

"Hey, I hate to interrupt, but I think we've got a _really_ big problem," I said.

"What is it _now_?!" Hannah asked. I pointed to the ground; Hannah looked down and gasped. Forming around all our legs was a thin layer of ice, swiftly increasing in size.

"Oh, no," Statch groaned. "_Clive's_ back!"

"Glad to see you haven't forgotten about me!" Clive said, stepping out from inside a demolished house. "Be honest; did you miss me?"

"Unfreeze me and fight me head-on, Human coward!" Hannah shouted.

"I'm afraid I can't do that; I'm not much of a fighter by myself, unfortunately," Clive said. "Besides, you ladies look so…_exquisite_, trapped in my ice. Sometimes, my ice merely traps others without any harmful side-effects, sometimes it can kill in an instant, while other times, it can slowly drain one's life away. That's my _favorite_ way of doing things. I do wonder, though; will your final breath be a scream of terror? Or, will it be little more than a sigh as it escapes past your sapphire lips? Or perhaps you'd prefer to save your scream for when I press my own lips against yours…or will you do it when I…_touch_…you? Ah, so many possibilities, so little time from now until the time you all die…"

"Flame Fist!" A thick swirl of flames wrapped itself around all four of us, melting the ice that had trapped us. "Fire Rocket!" Out of nowhere, Flamedramon, covered in flames, leapt through the air and crashed into Clive and pinned him to the ground.

"Who are you?!" Hannah asked.

"This is Flamedramon," Zelda said. "He's one of the Marked, like us."

"You…are one of the Marked?" Hannah asked.

"I would not lie about something that I was at one time murdered for," Flamedramon said.

"…Flamedramon, is it? I have a request for you," Hannah said. "Take my baby sister and leave this city. Take her far away from this man; take her wherever you think is safe for her to be, but please; just get her away from _him_." I was honestly uncertain if she was referring to me or Clive.

"Well, how could I possibly say 'no' to my fellow Marked sister? C'mon, Zelda; let's go," Flamedramon said.

"Wait, Hannah, what about you?!" Zelda asked.

"I'll be fine; trust me! I returned to you after six years, didn't I? Well, I'll return again, but this time, it'll be sooner!" Hannah said.

"Thomas! Statuedramon!"

"We're staying," I said. "We'll go back to Saias's villa after we've dealt with this guy."

"C'mon, let's go," Flamedramon said. "I'll take you to that…villa, if you want. I won't even burn it down."

"…Okay. Please, be careful; all three of you," Zelda said.

"Don't worry; nothing's going to happen to us," Statuedramon smiled at Zelda as Flamedramon took her away.

"So, it's just you three I get to freeze, then? No problem; I'll make sure to make this as enjoyable as possible," Clive said. "For me."

* * *

**Zelda**

"So, where is this villa you speak of?" Flamedramon asked. The two of us had begun to run from Clive.

"It's north of Yew," I said. "There's a forest behind it; that might be part of Lotisea Jungle."

"North of Yew…Well, that shouldn't take us so long. Only a few hours if I carry you and run…You don't mind, do you?"

"Zelda!" The sound of someone calling my name brought our run to a halt.

"Who said that? Who's there?!" Flamedramon asked. I looked to my left just as a small girl walked out of an alleyway.

"Irene?! Irene, is that you?!" I asked.

"Yes…it's me," Irene said. "…I…I'm sorry if I made you worry…"

"Oh, I'm so relieved to know you're all right! Everyone got a note that we all thought was from the knights…saying they were going to…"

"No…it wasn't because of the knights that I was gone for so long."

"Well, that's good to hear! Everyone's been real worried about you! Hey, where's SlashAngemon?"

"…SlashAngemon…is dead…"

"SlashAngemon is…oh my god…"

"He's dead…because of me," Irene said. Tears began to fall from her eyes to the sandy ground.

"No, Irene; you can't blame yourself for—"

"I murdered him!" Irene said. This was the loudest I've ever heard her speak. "I…I killed him!"

"Irene…what…you…"

"He's dead because of me. Just like…the two of you will be." Irene pulled, of all things, a Digivice from the pocket of her dress. "Bio Hybrid DNA…Charge…" The small girl placed her palm over her Digivice, enveloping her in a blinding light. "Bio Hybrid Digivolve to…BioAquarimon…"

"Irene…you…you've been a Bio Hybrid this entire time?" I asked.

"I'm sorry…Zelda," BioAquarimon said, tearing up. Picking up her bow, she aimed an arrow at me. "I'm not going to be able to go back with you."

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"You two…stay out of my way!" Hannah yelled, taking another swing at Clive with her lance.

"No can do; the two of us have a grudge against this guy, too," I said.

"I'd be happy to fight all three of you at once," Clive suggested.

"Fuck off!" Statch swung his sword at the rapist, who ducked out of the way at the last second.

"This man needs to pay for what he did to my little sister!" Hannah said.

"What?! What did he do to Zelda?!" I asked. "_What did you do?!_"

"I keep telling you; I never actually did anything to her!" Clive said. "I swear…Nobody listens anymore these days…"

"Don't act like you care about her! You know she's different from you!" Hannah yelled at me.

"That doesn't matter to me! That doesn't change the fact that she's my friend! I care about her the same as I care about any of my other friends!" Hannah glared at me for what seemed to be the longest time after that.

"This man raped and impregnated our surrogate mother," Statuedramon said. "If anyone should be allowed to murder him, it's the two of us!" Hannah glanced at the Rookie Digimon.

"If you'd like, I could freeze over all three of you at once," Clive said. "It would save me the trouble of having to fight you. Actually, I think that's what I'm going to do!" Clive held up his hands, which then became surrounded by ice. "This ice…it will freeze you all in a matter of seconds, sapping away your life before you know it! Fate sure is a bitch, ain't it? See you all in hell!"

* * *

**Zelda**

"Irene, why don't we talk about this?" I suggested.

"No…I can't go back," BioAquarimon sobbed. "I _can't_…I killed one of our own…why would they welcome someone like _me_ back?!"

"Irene…I'm sure that…well, _maybe_…Apollomon might be willing to forgive you…"

"Zelda, let me handle this," Flamedramon said, stepping between me and the Bio Hybrid.

"Flamedramon, wait—"

"I'm not going to kill her," Flamedramon whispered. "I'll just knock some sense into her. Flame Fist!"

"Goddess Urn!" From the urn resting on the ground behind her, BioAquarimon unleashed a thick blast of water that doused out Flamedramon's attack before striking him, knocking him backward onto the ground. "Do me a favor and don't underestimate me, Flamedramon; as I am now, I'm a Mega level Digimon."

_Her voice…her voice is filled with despair, but…she sound so much different…Her voice is filled with confidence, too…_

"Damn it…she's so…powerful," Flamedramon said weakly.

"I don't deserve forgiveness for what I have done…for what I am about to do; I know that," BioAquarimon said. "I have been ordered…to eliminate both you and Thomas. This is a direct order…from the only person who can help me find the person I'm looking for. This fate…is unstoppable…"


	41. In Death, She Finally Exists

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Cyclamen City**

"Here it comes!" Clive shouted. "This is the attack that will kill the lot of you!" Clive held up his hands and formed a ball of ice between them. Even though I was ten feet away from him, I could feel just how cold it was. "Damn you all!" Clive unleashed the ice, but before it could hit Statch and me, Hannah shoved us to the ground, out of the way of Clive's attack.

"Hannah!" I ran over to the older girl, but it was too late; her legs had already been hit by the ice. It had traveled quickly up her body and by now had climbed all the way up to her waist.

"Only _one_?! How could only one of you be hit?!" Clive asked.

"Hannah…why?! Why did you do it?! You hate us, don't you?!" Statch asked. Hannah's lips had quickly turned blue, and though her breathing was slight, she was still alive, but just barely.

"I do…hate you…but my baby sister…she doesn't…for some reason," Hannah said. Looking directly at me, she whispered, "It was pretty obvious to me…from the way she spoke about you…You were the first Human to ever…to not treat her as though she were worthless…That must be why…she loves you…" Her eyes lost their living shine. She was now completely encased in Clive's ice, still and unbreathing.

"This ought to do it!" Clive snapped his fingers and the ice surrounding Hannah shattered, and with it, the young woman.

"Damn you, Clive!" Statch ran over to the man, his sword glistening in the sun's reflection from the ice.

"Shit! I don't have enough power left to counterattack! I used too much on that attack!" Clive said nervously, dodging each strike from Statch's blade.

"**That's what happens when you waste my power, you fool!**"

"Shut up! I can handle this!" Clive shouted.

"**I have given you adequate time in which to do so, and yet you are still avoiding death as we speak!**" Statuedramon had stopped attacking, and was looking around the city to see who Clive was speaking to.

"Please, just give me a little more time!" Clive said.

"**No! This is your problem, not mine! I'd rather not waste any more of my power on you than I already have! Screw you, Clive; I'm going home!**"

"Wait, please; don't leave me!" Clive's shadow extended up a building, and a tall Digimon stepped out.

"Who…who is that?!" Statch asked.

"It looks like…Devimon," I said. "But…he's white!"

"I am of no concern to the two of you," the Digimon said. "It is Clive you are after."

"Please…IceDevimon, don't leave me!" Clive said.

"_Ice_Devimon?" Statch looked at the tall Digimon. "Are you anything like Devimon?"

"I have never been so insulted in my entire life!" IceDevimon laughed. "My power far surpasses that fool the two of you fought in this very spot!" I looked around. It was at that moment that I realized that we stood in the remains of the church had Sephyrus brought us to earlier. The altar and the pews lay in a pile off to the side, and the walls had fallen down. It looked nothing like the way it used to be. "Of course, you two will never know how strong I _really_ am, for we shall never engage in combat." IceDevimon spread his wings and took to the sky.

"IceDevimon, don't go! Please, I need your help!" Clive shouted. IceDevimon, however, did not respond, and soon, he had flown out of sight.

"Well, I guess that would explain how you're able to do all that icy stuff," Statuedramon said.

"Are you ready to pay for your crimes, Clive?" I asked.

"No…he was supposed to help me…he promised he would help me," Clive looked up at the sky, trying to find IceDevimon.

"Your name…you are Clive, are you not?" A voice from behind me asked.

"Who's there?!" Statch shouted.

"No need to be concerned, you two." Michalis, coming from behind us, walked over to Clive. "Answer me; your name is Clive Howell, isn't it?"

"You…you're the kid Magnus wanted to find," Clive said.

"Magnus is dead," Michalis said. "Killed by these two, in fact. Actually, it was the knight known as Lector who _really_ did it. Anyway, I digress; answer my question. Now." Michalis pulled out a knife and held it against Clive's throat.

"…Yes, I am Clive; what of it?"

"Were you the one who raped Victoria?" Michalis asked.

"…Yes. I raped her."

"Then that means you are my father." Clive stared at the boy, his mouth hung agape. "That's what Sephyrus told me. It _must_ be true…if _he_ told me…"

"…And I suppose you're here for retribution, aren't you…"

"First, I want to know why you did it," Michalis said. "Tell me why you raped my mother."

"Well, it's kind of a long story as to why I started doing it…"

"Tell me before I kill you!"

"Okay, fine; since it seems I have no other choice…it all started a little over twenty years ago…"

* * *

**Zelda**

"Come forth, Renamon!"

"…Are you feeling better, Milady?" Renamon asked, kneeling before me.

"Please…let's just get this over with," BioAquarimon said.

"Don't hurt her too much," I said. "She's…she's my friend."

"I understand," Renamon nodded. "Diamond Storm!"

"Goddess Bow!" BioAquarimon fired the arrow from her bow, and as it flew, it began to glow luminously before striking Renamon in the chest. Screaming in agony, she fell to the ground.

"She's…too powerful…I'm sorry, Zelda…I must retreat…" Renamon said before vanishing.

"Have you forgotten already that she's a Mega level Digimon?" Flamedramon asked. Weakly, he stood up, clutching his arm. "I can handle her…"

"No, you're injured! Please, let me do this," I said. "Come forth, Vajramon!"

"I have been observing from afar what has been going on from the other world," Vajramon said. "Though you may be the lady's friend still, I cannot forgive anyone who would so callously threaten her life; Deva Blades!"

"Aquarius Knight!" A thick jet of water erupted from BioAquarimon's urn like a geyser. The water took the shape of a knight clad in a suit of armor, standing between BioAquarimon and Vajramon just as the Ultimate Digimon unleashed his powerful attack. The Aquarius Knight was struck down, shattering into what seemed to be millions of water droplets that rained down on the ground. "Aquarius Beast!" Another jet of water burst from her urn; this time, the water took the form of a wolf-like beast that tackled Vajramon to the ground, its sharp claws digging into Vajramon's neck.

"Forgive me…my fair lady…but I must retreat…for now," Vajramon said weakly before vanishing like Renamon. The Aquarius Beast dissipated as well, in the same manner as the Aquarius Knight.

_Time to see if the rumors are true…if Leomon really is how he is described in ancient texts!_ "Come forth, Leomon!" The talisman Victoria had given me just days ago lit up as my other talismans did, but Leomon was nowhere to be seen. "Come forth, Leomon!"

"I don't think he's coming, Zelda," Flamedramon said. "Don't you have any other talismans?"

_Well, I do, but…_

"This is…the end," BioAquarimon said, readying another arrow.

"Come forth, Gallantmon!" Gallantmon's talisman lit up, and instantly, standing before me was the Mega Digimon who despised me so. Looking over at BioAquarimon, Gallantmon sighed wearily.

"_Another_ weakling?" Gallantmon asked. "…I am _really_ getting sick of this."

"Aquarius Knight!"

"Royal Saber!" BioAquarimon conjured up another knight, though it was instantly destroyed by Gallantmon's attack. Shaking his head, the taller Mega walked away.

"Gallantmon, where are you going?!" I asked.

"I'm leaving," Gallantmon said. "I can no longer tolerate…_this_! Being called out to fight these weak Digimon, and then having you tell me to not hurt them! I'm fucking sick of it!"

"…I see. If that's what you want…then I won't stop you," I said.

"I would be surprised if you _could_!" Gallantmon said before vanishing. The image of Gallantmon inscribed on his talisman faded away.

"…Well…that guy's a dick," Flamedramon said.

"I'm surprised he stayed with me as long as he did," I said. "I am…happy, though, that I got to spend as much time with him as I did before he left…"

"I'm sorry I have to do this to you, Zelda," BioAquarimon said tearfully, aiming her bow at my chest. "I'm sorry, but Lilithmon told me to do this...she's the only one who can help me get what I want..."

_Who's Lilithmon? _"Irene...please, turn back to your human form; I'm sure we can work this out," I pleaded, backing into one of the many destroyed buildings of Cyclamen City. "Please, I promise nobody will get mad at you; I'm sure everyone in Lachesis will want to help you..."

"It's...too late for me, Zelda," BioAquarimon sobbed, but before she could fire her arrow, the wall of a nearby building collapsed, and a tall, lion-like Digimon walked through the rubble towards me.

"Sorry I'm so late. I got kind of...lost...Yeah…" Leomon said nervously, rubbing the back of his head. "Are you the one who summoned me?" I nodded slowly. "I, uh…apologize for being so late; do you still need my help?"

"Uh…If it isn't too much of a bother, sir," I said. Leomon smiled.

"You treat us spirits with such kindness, even though we've been long deceased. I think I'll enjoy working for you." Leomon turned to face BioAquarimon. "As my way of apologizing for being late, allow me to show you something REAL cool! Leomon Digivolve to, SaberLeomon!"


	42. Loved For Who She Is

**Zelda**

**Cyclamen City**

"Leomon Digivolve to, SaberLeomon!" Leomon stood, once as tall as Flamedramon; now, he had grown to be even larger than Vajramon. "I understand that she is a friend of yours," he growled, looking at BioAquarimon.

"Yes…please…don't hurt her," I said.

"I understand; I will do what I can," SaberLeomon said.

"While he's fighting BioAquarimon, we should get going," Flamedramon said. "You don't want to get caught up in a fight like this."

"Yes; this could get pretty ugly," SaberLeomon said. "Wouldn't want you to get mixed up in the crossfire."

"…Good luck, SaberLeomon," I said. Flamedramon began leading me away from the two Mega Digimon.

"He'll be fine," Flamedramon said. "You saw how big he was; there's no way she could hurt him. Besides, he's a Spirit; he won't be dying."

"…It's not him losing I'm afraid of," I said. As we came to the edge of the desert city, Flamedramon stopped and turned me around so that I was directly facing him.

"Zelda. Listen to me _very_ carefully," he said gently. "With the way things are going…It will be required of you to act in order to protect those you care about. Those Bio Hybrids are _not_ going to stop fighting until they're completely destroyed. This means that you will _have_ to stand against them and fight back in order to protect your friends. You will _have_ to hurt them…and you might even have to kill them…in order to protect your friends. Do you understand?"

"…Yes…"

"I know you aren't a fighter yourself, but just the same, it will be good for you to realize that you will have to see others in pain. You will have to tell your Spirits to hurt your enemies, or your enemies will hurt you and your friends."

"…I know…" Flamedramon smiled kindly at me. It startled me at first, but then I remembered that he and I are the same. Carefully, he picked me up and placed me atop his shoulder, and after making sure I was secure and comfortable, he began running through the desert sand at an unimaginable speed. I quickly looked back at Cyclamen as it began vanishing from sight. _Irene…why wouldn't you let me help you? I don't want to see you get hurt…_

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"It all started a little over twenty years ago, when I was about seventeen years old," Clive said. "I was with…the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Her name…was Angewomon."

"Angewomon? Like, the Digimon Angewomon?!" Statuedramon asked.

"Yes…The two of us were madly in love with each other…One night, when we were together, she…Angewomon was murdered…"

"Murdered?! Who would want to murder a Digimon like her? She's supposed to be one of the most gentle Digimon in existence," Statch said.

"One night, while we were kissing, a few drunkards from behind…they…took her…they raped her right in front of me. They pinned me to the ground, and forced me to watch the entire thing…And after they finished with her…they…murdered her…I…I just about died with grief. I've tried to move on, but I could just never be with another woman since that. Nothing turned out the way I wanted, because all I could think about was Angewomon…I suppose that's probably why I became a rapist...who knows." Clive looked up at Michalis. "Victoria…your mother…their teacher and surrogate mother…she just happened to be one of my victims. It was nothing personal."

"…You raped her. That's pretty personal, idiot," Statuedramon said. I could not take my eyes off of Clive; the entire time he was speaking, I glared at him, wishing I could strangle the bastard with my bare hands.

"Yes, I suppose…So, am I free to go?" Clive asked, looking up at Michalis. The boy's face had been completely emotionless through Clive's story. "Well? Will you let me—" Clive was interrupted when Michalis shoved the blade of his knife in Clive's chest, near his shoulder, tearing it across Clive's chest before forcefully yanking it out. Clive collapsed to the ground, tightly gripping his bloody wound.

"A person like you deserves no freedom," Michalis said.

"Wait, Michalis!" I ran after the boy. "What happened to Victoria in the forest?"

"Victoria…was stabbed."

"By who?! Who stabbed her?!" Statch asked. "WHO MURDERED OUR MOTHER, DAMN IT?!"

"…I…cannot say. I do not know who the person was…"

"Michalis, why don't you come with us back to Saias's villa? You'll be safe there," I suggested. I glanced down at Clive's still body. I kept myself from smiling as I saw the blood pour out of his neck.

"No. I will not go back. You would not want someone like me there. I bid you both good day." Michalis walked away from us, and was soon out of sight.

"…Well, what should we do now, Thomas?" Statuedramon asked. I looked down at Clive. He had gone completely still. I turned my head to the spot where Hannah had died. The shattered ice that held her body had melted away…

"…We're going to have to go back to the villa," I said. "We're just going to have to trust that Flamedramon was able to get her back without any problems."

"Are you sure it was okay to leave her alone with a Digimon like that?"

"They are both Marked, are they not? It didn't seem like he held any contempt for her, or even Hannah."

"Speaking of…should we tell Zelda? About what happened to Hannah?"

"…We have to. This isn't something we can just keep as a secret." I sighed. "I don't…want to see her cry again…"

"Well, let's tell Apollomon, and _he_ can tell her, then!" Statch suggested.

"I really don't think that's a good idea, Statch. I'll tell her...by myself…"

* * *

**Yew**

**10 Hours**

"Statuedramon…this is by far the _last_ time I ever let you lead me anywhere!" I shouted.

"What?! This isn't so bad; at least we've finally made our way to Yew after wandering aimlessly in the desert!" he retorted.

"We've been in Yew for almost five hours! We don't even know which direction North is!"

"Just look up at the sun; if it's to our right, then north is…wait, or is it—"

"That only applies when the sun is out, and it's raining!"

"…Oh. So it is…Well, look on the bright side; all the sand is getting washed off of us, at least!" Statch grinned.

"I believe…north is that way." A Digimon sitting slumped against a tree to our side pointed directly in front of himself. He was covered in blue and silver armor, with ten golden wings. I had no idea who the Digimon was, or if he was even a Digimon…

"Oh…Thank you, sir," I said. "…Might I…ask your name, sir?" Rain was dripping down his silver armor and onto the grass he sat on.

"My name…it is Seraphimon. Meeting you two was an enjoyable experience; I do hope we meet again…" Seraphimon's arm fell to his side. "You also need not worry about your friend…she has been safely taken to where you are going."

"What? You mean Zelda, right? You've seen her?" Statch asked. Seraphimon did not reply. "Was…Flamedramon still with her? She didn't look like she was injured, did she? Was she okay? Talk, damn you!" Seraphimon remained silent.

"…Are you okay, sir?" I asked.

"I am quite fine. You should hurry along…Apollomon must be getting worried about the two of you."

_Apollomon? How does he know about Apollomon?_

"C'mon, Thomas; let's go," Statch pulled on my arm. "Hurry up before I forget which way he pointed!"

"…All right. Thank you for your help, Seraphimon." The Digimon's head nodded slightly as Statch and I walked off.

* * *

**Saias's Villa**

**20 Minutes**

"So, how long has it been since we've been back?" Statch asked as the two of us walked up to the villa. The rain had not let up, and my clothes and Statch's armor, both of which had been made dirty by the sands of Cyprus Desert, had been rinsed clean of every grain of sand.

"It's probably been less than a week," I said.

"Really? It feels like it's been months…" As Statuedramon placed his hand around the doorknob of the villa's front door, it opened, smacking the Rookie in the face.

"Oh…you two are back," Apollomon said. Smiling nervously, he motioned for the two of us to hurry inside.

"Are you okay, Apollomon?" I asked.

"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine," he said. "Zelda made it back a few hours ago…accompanied by…by _Flamedramon_, of all people…glad _he_ left." Apollomon sighed. "So, what took you guys so long?" Apollomon led us to the villa's living room, where Dianamon, Pheragas, BlackGaomon, Chrysania, Luna, and Zelda all sat. Apollomon sat down on a couch next to Dianamon, Statch sat down on the floor, and I sat down next to Zelda, who was sitting comfortably on an arm of a couch. "What happened while the three of you were gone? Why were you gone for so long? Where are Victoria and Michalis?" Statuedramon and I looked at each other.

"Well, Victoria was murdered shortly after she broke Michalis out of prison," Statch said. A dead silence fell over the room. "I still don't know who did it…but whoever did will die as painfully as Thomas and I know how to make it."

"…Sorry to hear that," Apollomon said quietly. He was looking away from the two of us.

"…While we were breaking Michalis out, we had to fight one of those Bio Hybrids," Statuedramon said. "He was just about to tell us what he and the other Hybrids were up to when Lector arrived and killed him…

"Was he able to tell you anything before Lector killed him?" Dianamon asked.

"As he was dying…he tried to whisper something to me," I said. "He only said one word, though; 'eternal.'"

"Anyway, the Bio Hybrid that Lector killed had broken a rapist out of prison and had him take Zelda to Cyclamen City. That's why we were gone for so long," Statch finished.

"Oh! Irene! I found Irene while I was in Cyclamen City!" Zelda exclaimed.

"Irene?! Is she okay?!" Luna asked.

"What about SlashAngemon?! Was he with her?!" BlackGaomon asked.

"…SlashAngemon is dead. He was…murdered…by Irene." The news Zelda had just given us filled me, and undoubtedly the others, with a disquieting unease. The room lay silent for a few moments.

_SlashAngemon…he's dead?_

"No way! Irene would _never_ do anything like that!" Dianamon protested.

"She wouldn't harm a Flymon!" BlackGaomon spat.

"That is beside the point; Irene wouldn't be…_physically_ capable of killing a Mega Digimon like SlashAngemon," Apollomon said sadly, almost desperately. "Someone that small…that fragile…"

"She _is_ capable," Zelda continued. "She's capable because she is a Mega level Bio Hybrid." Once again, silence filled the room.

"Ooh…didn't see _that_ coming…" Statch said.

"So…you're saying Irene can turn into a Digimon…like how Garret was able to?" Luna asked.

"Dat vould explain her extended absence," Pheragas said.

"How did you find out? Did she tell you or something?" BlackGaomon asked.

"Yes; she also told me that she had been ordered to murder Thomas and me," Zelda said. "I left one of my Digimon Spirits fighting and distracting her long enough for Flamedramon to escort me back here. It was thanks to another Digimon that we were able to find our way back, though."

"Maybe…did you maybe…_misunderstand_ her?" Apollomon asked. "I know you aren't a liar, but…maybe you just misunderstood her." Zelda shook her head.

"…She pointed her bow and arrow right at my chest, Apollomon. She really seemed as though she would've killed me. Knowing her, that is definitely saying something. She was…crying…the entire time I was speaking with her, and her eyes…she looked as though she had been crying for days…"

"Well…if you're that sure about it, then I believe you," Apollomon said.

"There's also…something else I need to tell you," Zelda said. Slowly, she reached over and pulled off the glove on her right hand. I held on to her left hand as she held up her right to show everyone the Mark.

"So…you _do_ have it," Apollomon said thoughtfully. He looked at the Mark without surprise or hatred.

"You knew?" Zelda asked with a worried look on her face. Apollomon nodded.

"A few of us have had a previous encounter with one of the Marked, about twenty years ago; he was killed because we weren't able to protect him well enough," BlackGaomon said.

"We were all quite…perturbed by his presence at first, but we all learned to look past it," Dianamon said. "He was a good kid, that John…"

"What are you talking about?" Luna asked.

"Yes, vut ah dese 'Mocked' you speak of?" Pheragas asked.

"I have…_All_ of the Marked have…Digimon blood runs through my veins," Zelda said.

"_Digimon_ blood?!" BlackGaomon exclaimed.

"So, _that's_ why we all felt uneasy," Apollomon said. "We Digimon are able to instinctively sense if a being is Human or Digimon. You have the blood of both races flowing through you, so we were unable to tell what exactly you were…Interesting…"

"…In the village I was born…Those who carry the mark like my sister and me are treated very poorly, like we're some crime against the Goddess Arcadia. Every day, we received threats and abuse, both physical and verbal…"

"Why didn't you tell us this sooner, sweetie?" Luna asked.

"…I was…too afraid to tell you what I was…I was scared that you would all hate me…"

"Chrissy doesn't hate you!" Chrysania exclaimed. She jumped up from the couch where she sat beside Luna and ran up to Zelda and threw her arms around her. "Chrissy could never hate you! Zelda's so kind and pretty! Chrissy _loves_ you! You're like a big sister to her! It's not right that you weren't treated nicely!"

"Chrysania…I…I'm sorry…"

"The same goes for me," Luna said. "I don't know anything about the Marked, but if the Goddess considers someone like _you_ to be a crime against _her_, then obviously, there's something seriously wrong with that crazy broad."

"It matters not oo's blood you have; all dat matters is oo you ah as a person," Pheragas said. BlackGaomon nodded in agreement.

"Now if only the rest of the world thought that way," Dianamon sighed.

"You have nothing to fear," Apollomon said. "The fact that you are one of the Marked changes nothing. You are still our friend and our comrade. Nothing will ever change that."

"Everyone…thank you…thank you so much," Zelda said. Tears had begun to well in her eyes, but at the same time, she was smiling brighter than I had ever seen.

* * *

**2 Hours**

"You've been gone so long…Chrysania's really missed the three of you," Luna said. I stood with my back slumped against the front door of the villa, looking up the stairs that led to our bedrooms. "I have too, of course."

"…Yeah…Sorry about that…" Luna smiled. She leaned back against the same door as I, and stood next to me.

"You don't need to apologize. I, uh…I…I'm sorry about Victoria, Thomas," Luna whispered. I gave no reply. "…She reminded me of myself. She took _you_ in, just as _I_ did for Chrysania…"

"…How did you come to work here at Lachesis, Luna?" I asked. The witch placed a finger over my lips.

"That, I'm afraid, is a story for another time, handsome."

"…Fine…" I closed my eyes and sighed.

"Well, _you_ certainly look exhausted," Luna said.

"Nearly ten hours of walking nonstop through the desert followed by over an hour of cooking will do that to you," I sighed.

"Oh, yes, I had almost forgotten that you _could_ cook," the witch said. "It's been a long time since you've cooked for us. You'll have to start cooking again for us sometime…But if you make me fat, I will have to hex you."

"…Duly noted…"

"So, why did you make all that food, anyway? Was Statuedramon bothering you?"

"I heard that!" Statch yelled from the living room.

"No…I promised Zelda I would when we returned home…"

"All of _that_ was for that tiny little girl?! Surely, some of it was for Statch!"

"It started out that way, but I decided to let her have my share after all that she's been through," Statch replied.

"Why, Statuedramon…that was uncharacteristically kind of you," Luna giggled.

"Well, screw you too!" Statch replied. Luna laughed harder.

"But seriously; how do you expect her to eat all that you made?! You must've made over ten pounds of food!"

"Thirteen and a half, to be exact. And remember; Zelda's one of the Marked, so she has Human and Digimon characteristics. According to her, that means she has a Digimon's longevity and appetite. Apparently, there are a few others, but she didn't tell me…"

"So, where is she now?" Luna asked.

"Up in her room."

"Did you tell her yet?" Statuedramon asked.

"…No. I just…I couldn't bring myself to do it when she looked so happy…"

"Go tell her," Statch said. "_Now_."

"…I know." After a long sigh, I pulled myself away from the door, and slowly walked upstairs. I looked up at Zelda's bedroom door. It was closed. I sighed again, both from exhaustion and anxiety. My legs were shaking. _I'm going to have to tell her; this isn't something I can keep a secret from her…_ _At least we'll be alone…Well, here goes nothing._ I walked into Zelda's bedroom, where I found her lying on her back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Zelda…how are you doing?" I asked. As soon as she heard my voice, she turned her head to look at me and smiled widely.

"Thomas…thank you so much…for that meal!" Zelda exclaimed. As I slowly and nervously walked up to her, she tugged on my arm and pulled me into a hug. . My cheek rested against hers, and though I blushed quite intensely, she didn't seem to notice. "…I almost forgot about…it until I saw you making it…but it was _so_ good!" Almost immediately, she let go, and I stood back up. Still smiling, she said, "You are _such_ an amazing cook…I could eat your food all day long…"

"…I had originally made about half of it for Statuedramon, but he changed his mind about it, so I left it all out for you," I said. "Did you eat enough? I figured since you told me you could eat as much as a Digimon, that I made you enough, but I can make you more if you'd like."

"Ugh…n—no, please…don't tempt me…like that…I'm s-so…s—stuffed…" The young Summoner gave her slightly rounded and bloated stomach a few gentle, satisfied pats before beginning to slowly massage it. "As I said back in Cyclamen…I had to spend so long pretending to be a Human that I was rarely able to truly satiate my hunger. When I saw all that food you made for me…I kind of lost control of myself. I just kept eating and eating until there was nothing left…It felt good to just pig out, and eat as much as I wanted, without worrying about anyone figuring out what I am…And now, I'm so full, my tummy hurts. It even hurts to even move…But compared to when I was starving, it feels…so…_good_ to not be hungry anymore…you know what I mean?" she asked as I sat down on her bed next to her. "And you're even still willing to hang out with a big, fat pig like me…"

"I wouldn't say _that_; I think it's kind of endearing that you're able to eat so much," I said quietly, helping her massage her stuffed belly. "You're still a beautiful young woman, Zelda, both on the inside and on the outside, and even with this temporary bloat. It doesn't matter to me if your belly remains round or not, or gets even bigger…You will still be beautiful." Though I was lost in thought, I heard a quiet, shy, and happy word of thanks. _I can't…tell her what happened when she's this happy…can I? It just seems so cruel…_I cast a nervous glance down at her. Her eyes were glimmering, and she had a dreamy, almost half-asleep smile on her face.

"…Thomas…you're so good at everything you do," Zelda said. "You can cook…you can fight…you can strategize…you can even put up with a filthy half-breed like me…Is there anything you _can't_ do?" she giggled.

"…Half-breed? Zelda…I don't ever want to hear you call yourself that again." Doing my best to speak in a calm and gentle manner, I said, "You are not a…a _half-breed_; you are our friend. Whose blood you have in you doesn't matter to anyone here. You're…you're you…and you're free, Zelda; free to do things the way _you_ want to. You're allowed to smile, and be happy… You don't ever have to go back to the way things were before you came here. Here, you have friends…and here…you are loved for who you are."

"…Thomas…thank you…so much…" A single tear began to slowly slide down her smiling face.

…_I can't delay this any longer…I _have_ to tell her what happened to Hannah. She…wouldn't ever forgive me if she found out I kept this from her. Damn it…I shouldn't have made her so happy…ARGH! What the fuck is wrong with me?!_ Shaking my head, I looked into her endlessly blue eyes. "Zelda…I need to tell you something," I said. _She's going to cry again…Well, at least I'm here for her, this time…_ "I hate to tell you this after you've started to feel…so happy, but this isn't something that should be kept secret."

"Don't worry about it; you can tell me," Zelda said. She looked up at me, still smiling; her beautiful, blue doe eyes were shining with anticipation.

"…Hannah is…is…she's dead."

"…What?!" The Summoner sat straight up; all the color seemed to drain from her face.

"She died…trying to protect Statuedramon and me from Clive…It's…my fault that she—"

"…No. It's not your fault…don't…apologize…"

"If we…if we had been more aware, or stronger, then she…she'd still be alive..."

"No…it's okay. I…I was prepared for this…Hannah has been a warrior all her life…I knew that, one day, she might leave me forever…"

"…Zelda…" I placed her small, trembling hand inside my own.

"I'm okay…really, I am…I'm not…_that_…weak…"

"Zelda…you don't have to hold back in front of me."

"Thomas…oh, Thomas, I…why…why did she…have to…"

"Don't worry. I'll always be here for you." Unable to contain herself, she let herself fall into my arms and cried. I sat with her and held on to her until she fell asleep. As I was leaving, I found myself giving her a kiss her on the forehead. I turned off the light, and quietly closed the bedroom door behind my before slowly making my way down the long, winding staircase and into the villa's living room, flopping down on a couch next to Statuedramon. Luna was the only other person in the room with us.

"So…did you tell her?" Statuedramon asked. I nodded. I'd have spoken, but my face had sunken into a soft, vinyl cushion. "How'd she take it?" I rolled over and sat up, giving the Rookie Digimon a saddened look.

"…I made her cry again…" I said quietly, sadly.

"I thought you said you didn't want to see her cry anymore," Statch said.

"I don't; I want her to smile the rest of her life," I said. "But…I couldn't keep her sister's death a secret…and I did promise I'd always be there for her when she does cry, and that's a promise I intend to keep."

"Why, Thomas, I always knew you were a gentleman, but if I knew you were _this _much of a gentleman, I'd have confessed _all_ of my secrets to you long ago," Luna said. "_Especially the dark, naughty ones_," she added, whispering seductively directly into my ear.

"…Good to know…" Luna laughed a little, and then sighed.

"You love her, don't you?" she asked. Immediately, I felt my face began to heat up.

"What?! I…I…" I looked up at the sorceress. "…How did—"

"How did I know? It's kind of obvious by now," Luna went on to say. "At least to _me_, it is."

"You've got to give her _some_ credit, Tom; she _is_ the smartest person here," Statch said.

"But…Zelda…She's—"

"She's someone you want to protect, right?" Luna sat down next to me.

"…Yes, of course. More than anything."

"She's somebody you want to keep safe from all the evils and dangers of the world…right?"

"…Yeah…" Luna giggled again.

"Aww, you're so adorable when you're embarrassed!" Luna said, pinching my cheek.

"Leave the poor lad alone, Luna," Dianamon said, walking into the room. "Thomas, I found a note addressed to you taped to the front door." I looked up and took the note from the Mega Digimon.

"What's it say?" Statuedramon asked. As I read what was in the note, I had to bite my tongue to keep from gasping.

"…Nothing. It's nothing important."

"Dinner's on!" Apollomon shouted from the kitchen.

"_Fuck yeah_!" Statuedramon leapt off the couch and into the kitchen. I looked toward the front door, and after making sure there was nobody watching, I walked over to it and left the villa with the note clutched in my hand.


	43. Stalking Menace

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Yew**

**15 Minutes**

_The note…it said the abandoned warehouse was around here somewhere…Irene…Where are you?_ I ran into an empty alleyway to catch my breath. It was still raining, and though it was getting dark out, I could still see quite easily. _Just as long as I don't get this wet, I'll be fine…_ I walked out of the alley, deciding to walk more slowly than I had been to save my energy. _It's got to be around here somewhere! Wait…I think I see it! Let me just check the note, first…yes, that's it!_

"Well, it looks you've finally showed up. Took you long enough."

"Who's there?!" I yelled.

"Surely you can ask nicer than that. After all, I did murder that rapist for you, didn't I?"

"…That rapist? Michalis? Is that you?!"

"Who do you think, idiot?!" Michalis dropped down from a building, landing in front of me.

"What do you want, Michalis?" I asked.

"What do you think? He's been ordered to eliminate you."

"I don't need _you_ to explain things for me, Abigail!" Michalis shouted.

"Just trying to help," Abigail sighed. The woman was standing behind me.

"Wait, you're with _her_?! Then does that mean…"

"Yes! I, Michalis, am a Bio Hybrid!" Michalis pulled a purple Bio Link Digivice from underneath his cloak and slammed his fist on it, causing it to emit a powerfully bright light. "Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioReapmon!"

"Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioLadyDevimon!"

"Are you ready for your untimely demise?!" BioReapmon asked.

"I can handle you," I said.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that; unlike the other Bio Hybrids, I've got a special trick up my sleeve!" Clutching his dagger tightly, he began running toward me.

"Black Wing!" BioLadyDevimon's left hand turned into a large spear. BioReapmon jumped up, prepared to stab me just as BioLadyDevimon's spear was thrust into the shoulder of Michalis's Digimon form.

"What the hell was that for?!" BioReapmon asked. "Are you _trying_ to get yourself killed, Abigail?!"

"Quintessence cannot bring someone dead back to life," BioLadyDevimon said.

"…So…you really don't want to work with us anymore? Just as Sephyrus predicted," BioReapmon said.

"Please; I'd much rather tear out each of my organs one at a time than continue working with you lot. If what we're searching for will not help me…then why should I bother helping you find it?"

"Traitor! You'll rue the day you crossed Lady Lilithmon!"

"I think not; Evil Wing!" BioLadyDevimon unleashed a colony of bats, all of which swarmed around BioReapmon and began attacking him.

"Damn it! Keep away from me, vile beasts!" BioReapmon swung his knife, attempting to strike the bats BioLadyDevimon summoned. "You have not seen the last of me, traitor!" BioReapmon ran away, and BioLadyDevimon turned back into Abigail.

"Come with me; Irene is waiting," Abigail said, walking toward the warehouse.

"Wait, she's really here? I thought this was a trap," I said. Abigail turned to face me.

"It originally was a trap, drawn up by Michalis and Sephyrus. However, Irene got wind of their plan, and she decided she wanted to meet with you. She really _does_ want to speak with you, Thomas." Abigail held open the door to the warehouse, and the two of us walked in. It was spacious, moderately lit, and empty, save for a few crates here and there. "She's been rather…_off_ since she killed SlashAngemon."

"Okay…I understand why _she_ might want to talk…but what about you? Why did you turn traitor?"

"Oh, for a number of reasons, I suppose…all of us Bio Hybrids had something we wanted in return for our services; mine was to bring a past lover back to life. However, with quintessence unable to bring anyone back, I no longer have any reason to help them."

"So, why are you helping Irene? She's still with the other Hybrids, isn't she?"

"Actually, she isn't quite sure anymore…She feels lost and confused, and I only wish to help the poor thing. Also…I heard about your friend…Zelda, is it?"

"…Yeah? What about her?"

"I heard that she's one of the Marked."

"What does that have to do with you?" Smiling, Abigail slowly lifted up her shirt slightly. There, in the middle of her stomach, was the symbol of the Marked just above her belly button. My eyes, however, were uncontrollably glued to the sight of her midriff. "So…you're one, too." Abigail nodded, letting her shirt fall back down.

"I see you still have that…little _preference_ of yours," Abigail smirked. "You haven't changed a bit."

"I wasn't even aware of it back when we were growing up in Cyclamen; I'm surprised you know about that," I said.

"I designed my outfit with you in mind, dear Thomas," Abigail said. "I can understand why you care so much about Zelda."

"…You know about that, too?"

"It's kinda obvious; I've seen the way you look at her," Abigail said. "You really like her, don't you?"

"…She's the sweetest person I know. She's always helping me out, even though she detests violence…"

"You make sure to take good care of her, you hear me?!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

Abigail smiled and turned around. "Irene? You can come out, sweetie; I've brought him," she called out, sounding worried and concerned about the young girl's well-being. Slowly, Irene walked out from behind a stack of crates and slowly approached me.

"Irene…what the hell is going on?!" I asked. Abigail placed her hand over my shoulder.

"Please, don't be too hard on her," she whispered.

"No…it…it's okay, Abby," Irene said sadly. "I…I deserve to have everyone hate me…for what I did…"

"Irene, I…I don't hate you," I said. "I just want to know what's been going on."

"I've been a Bio Hybrid for about four years."

"Four years? But…you've been at Lachesis for only three," I said.

"I work with them…because…because they promised to help me find my mother. They…they're the only ones…who can help me…" Irene began sobbing.

"Aw, ain't this sweet? Excuse me while I go to a corner so I can puke my guts out!" A voice from somewhere in the warehouse said.

"Michalis!" Abigail pulled out her Digivice and began frantically looking around the warehouse for the boy.

"That's BioReapmon to you, traitor!" The angry Bio Hybrid held up his dagger. "The two of you…who would have ever thought it would come to this?"

"Irene has done nothing to betray you _or_ the other Bio Hybrid idiots!" Abigail said.

"And yet, here she is, without having been ordered to do so!"

"Damn it, there's no reasoning with this fool; I guess I'll just have to do this the hard way! Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioLadyDevimon!"

"I fully intend to use every ounce of my strength against you, Abigail!" BioReapmon said.

"Black Wing!" BioLadyDevimon's arm turned once again into a spear, which struck BioReapmon in the shoulder and crashed through the ceiling. "I can handle him up there; play nice, you two!" BioLadyDevimon flew after BioReapmon through the hole in the ceiling she made and up to the second floor of the warehouse.

"Thomas…I've been ordered to eliminate both you and Zelda," Irene said.

"So, what are you going to do?" I looked intently at the younger girl.

"…They promised…to help me find my mother…they're the only ones who can help…"

"We can help you…we will! Please, just give us a chance, Irene…"

"No…no, I can't…It's too late for me; I have to do this! Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioAquarimon!"

* * *

**Lector**

"Damn it, where are those kids?" I asked myself, pacing back and forth in my office. I glanced impatiently at my desk, which was covered with a slew of paperwork. "They told me they'd come to see me after they found their friend…have they just not found her yet?" I sighed. "…Why must things be this way? I should be treating them like friends and allies, not like this…"

"Orders are orders, Lector. You must obey them…or face the consequences."

"…By the Goddess…that voice…Saias?! Saias, is that you?!" I panickily looked around the room. "Saias, where are you?! Oh, no; I'm going crazy, aren't I?! He always told me nobody could read my mind, but I never believed him!"

"I'm right here…Lector…" I turned around, seeing my best friend standing, leaning against a wall, with his arms and legs crossed.

"Saias! Oh, thank the Goddess, you're still alive! What happened to you?! Are you okay?!"

"Lector…there's something I must tell you…"


	44. His Name Was John

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Yew**

"Goddess Bow!" BioAquarimon fired countless arrows at me, all of which I dodged with remarkable ease in a feat that surprised even myself.

"Irene, please…I promise, nobody will be mad at you! We'll all do our best to help you if you'd just—"

"The only way for me to reunite with my mother is to do what they say, and right now, they want you dead! Aquarius Knight!" Water pouring from her urn jutted upward and took the shape of an armor-wearing sword-wielding knight. The apparition swung its watery blade as I swung mine; the two weapons collided, and the sword belonging to the Aquarius Knight shattered, turning into hundreds of droplets of water that rained down on the floor. I jumped up and swung my sword once more and vanquished the knight.

"It seems…you are determined to betray us all," I said.

"Aquarius Beast!" BioAquarimon once again conjured up a watery apparition, this one taking the form of a beast — similar to a Garurumon in appearance — that immediately leapt toward me; I, however, held up my sword. The beast came forth, and though it attempted to pounce on me, my sword cut through its face. The beast continued to fly through the air until my sword had cleaved all the way through down the middle of the beast's body. This attack shared the same fate as BioAquarimon's previous one, becoming countless droplets of water that rained onto the floor below.

"Have you got any other attacks you'd like to show me?" I asked as BioAquarimon climbed on top of her urn. The flowing water began swirling around her.

"Aquarius Wyvern!" As more and more water formed around her, the liquid began to take the shape of an enormous dragon.

* * *

**Abigail**

"You really shouldn't have betrayed us, Abigail," BioReapmon said.

"Please; as if it's _my_ fault quintessence is incapable of brining someone back to life," I said. BioReapmon lifted his arm and open-fired at me; one of his bullets nicked my leg as I charged forth and thrusted my arm, turned into a spear, at the arrogant Bio Hybrid, who swiftly and deftly dodged each strike. "I will say _this_; it was a huge mistake, getting someone like _you_ to help us out!"

"…And why is that, Abigail? Is it because of the special trick I've got up my sleeve?" BioReapmon asked. "Or…have you perhaps forgotten…that I can _Digivolve_?" My heart sank.

"…No…!"

"BioReapmon Digivolve to, BioBeelzemon!"

"…How…how could I have forgotten…" My arm returned to its original form as I looked steadily down.

"What, are you calling it quits already?" BioBeelzemon asked. "Well, too bad; Double Impact!" One of his bullets grazed my arm; the other one found its way into my shoulder. The pain seemed to surge through my entire body, and I was suddenly enveloped in a bright light. BioLadyDevimon vanished, and I stood alone, facing the Mega Digimon.

"No…there's no hope for me…there's no way I could fight a Digimon as powerful as this one and win," I said sadly. "…I know I can't win…but I don't want to die…" _Thomas…Irene…please forgive me…_

"Darkness Claw!"

"No; no, I don't want to die!" I attempted to duck out of the way, but I was too slow; BioBeelzemon's claws tore the lower half of my shirt off, leaving my stomach and the Marked symbol completely exposed. Three extremely thin claw marks across my belly bled freely onto the floor.

"Double Impact!" BioBeelzemon drew his two shotguns and fired at me once again. I tried to run as fast as I could, but one of his bullets found its way into my right knee. I fell to the floor, screaming and clutching my bloody leg in pain. BioBeelzemon knelt down over me and grinned viciously. "I'm going to enjoy hearing you scream as I — now, what was it you said you'd rather do than work with us? Oh, yes — as I tear out each of your organs, one at a time. Sit tight; this won't take too long…"

"Fire Rocket!" What seemed to be a huge flaming missile burst through a nearby window and collided into BioBeelzemon, knocking him off of me just as he had placed an overly sharp claw on my lower lip.

"Got here just in time, it seems," Flamedramon said, looking down at the unconscious body of BioBeelzemon just as the Bio Hybrid turned back into Michalis.

"…Flamedramon…I…I…"

"What's that look for? I'm not going to eat you," Flamedramon said. "I would never hurt anyone who was like me."

"Like…me? You mean…" I looked up at the tall Digimon, seeing that he was looking intently at my midriff. Under normal circumstances, I'd have been quite flattered, but as he was staring at the Mark, I felt an immense sadness at the memory of the Mark and everything it had done to me. "…You're one of the Marked?"

"Yes. I was born as a Human thirty years ago in the village of Iris," Flamedramon said. The Digimon had found a few bandages nearby and began wrapping them around my bloody knee. "When I was just ten years old, I was forced to leave the village. I momentarily took shelter in Cyclamen City, but I had to leave that city, too. Eventually, the people of my village found me, and I was killed."

"…Twenty years ago, I met a boy named John. He told me he was hiding from someone," I said. "We both had the Mark…I had soon grown to love the boy, and he was completely enamored with me, I could tell. It…it broke my heart when he said he had to leave, but I knew he did it to protect me…It was…completely unbearable when I heard the news that he had died…I joined up with the other Bio Hybrids when I heard that there was a chance that quintessence could bring him back, but now that I know that it can't…I don't know what to do with myself anymore…"

"What is your name?" Flamedramon asked.

"Abigail."

"Abigail…back when I was a Human…before I was murdered…my name was John."

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"Aquarius Wyvern!" The aquatic dragon surrounding BioAquarimon spread its massive wings and took flight, unleashing a thick stream of water from its mouth as it did. "Just try and stand up to this; one of my most powerful attacks!"

"Well, it looks like I don't have much of a choice," I said. The immense dragon slowly dove down at me. _Just a little closer…Now!_ As the dragon was now close enough to ram into me, I jumped up and shoved Irene out of her attack. The two of us landed on the ground in a soaked heap as the dragon rained itself down on us. "Are you finished?"

"…No. I still have one more attack!" Though the dragon had completely rained itself out onto the floor, the water kept getting higher and higher until it was up to my shoulders. "Deluge of the Heavens!" BioAquarimon's urn erupted water like a geyser, nearly filling the entire room with water. I looked over at BioAquarimon, seeing that, from her waist down, she had the long, coiling body of a serpent. "This…is my most powerful attack! This is the form I take while underwater! Prepare yourself, Thomas!"

* * *

**Lector**

"What do you need to tell me?" I asked.

"Lector…I…am a Bio Hybrid," Saias said.

"A…A Bio Hybrid? _You_, sir?!"

"If you remember, a few weeks ago, I was carried off after fighting something in the woods," Saias said. "I thought I would be killed, but I was taken to a lab, where I had Digimon blood injected into my blood, thus giving me the ability to Bio Hybrid Digivolve."

"A…Bio Hybrid…That's…I…I don't know…I don't know what to say," I stammered.

"Will you…continue working with me? Even though I am like this, will you still help me?"

"Oh…of course, sir! I promised I'd still follow you after you told me you were one of the Marked, remember? Why should this be any different?"

"…I'm glad to hear you say that, my friend. Now, there is something that needs to be taken care of…"

"Just tell me what it is, sir, and I'll do it!"

"…The members of Lachesis. Put an arrest warrant out for all of them."

"…What?! But, Saias…they're our _friends_!"

"Are you disobeying a direct order, Lector?!"

"…No, sir. I'll…put out the warrants…as you said, sir."

"Very good. See that you do."


	45. Onwards to the Sunken City

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Yew**

"What's going on?!" I asked. "Why am I able to breathe underwater?"

"It would be no fun fighting an opponent with _too_ many disadvantages," BioAquarimon said. "_My_ water is special; even non-aquatic Digimon and Humans are capable of breathing in it. You'll still have difficulty moving around, though, if you aren't used to it."

_Crap…_ The fins that had grown on the back of her arms grew into curved scimitars.

"Goddess Blades!" BioAquarimon lunged toward me and struck me across the chest with the blades on her arms. The pain was intense, but strangely enough, I didn't bleed. I swung my sword at her, but she had already swum far out of my reach. At an incredible speed, she lunged toward me over and over, each time striking me with her blades.

"Irene…BioAquarimon…you've changed…"

"Water Nebula!" Though it looked as though nothing happened, I could feel a great deal of force striking me, seemingly all over.

"Irene…you used to be…so shy…gentle…delicate…What's happened to you?" I asked.

"I only do what is necessary to find my mother!" BioAquarimon shouted.

"You'd…really betray all of your friends…and comrades like this?" I asked. "SlashAngemon…would be ashamed of you if he could see you now!"

"How DARE you say that?! Goddess Blades: Seven Slice Dance!" BioAquarimon's swords grew longer, developing serrated edges as she lunged toward me and struck me over and over, seven times. My blood came spilling out, turning the water around me a deep crimson red, and I gradually sank down to the floor of the room, almost unconscious. I looked to my side, over at BioAquarimon's urn. A small cluster of air bubbles rose from deep inside of it.

_Wait…could it be?_

"You're finished!"

"Don't mock me, Irene; it's quite unbecoming of you," I rose to my feet as quickly as I could and slowly waded through the water over to her urn. I picked up my sword and brought the edge of its blade down, clear through the middle of the urn. Instantly, the urn shattered, and in a matter of seconds, the bloody water vanished back into what was left of the urn. Irene fell to the floor on her back, no longer in her Digimon form.

"…Thomas…what…did we…W—What happened?"

"Do you still feel like killing me?" I asked.

"No…why would I…feel that way?" Irene asked.

_Hmm…it seems that her Digivolution gave birth to a completely different personality…but she doesn't remember anything that just happened? Is that even possible?!_

"What's going on? Why am I so wet?" Irene sat up and weakly looked around the warehouse.

_That's strange…my clothes aren't wet in the slightest, except from my own blood…Is it because I won?_

"It's so…cold…Tommy, where are we? What just happened?" Her voice was shaky and she was trembling. She looked absolutely terrified. "T—Tommy?"

"…You really don't remember?" I asked. I took my coat off and placed it around Irene's trembling shoulders. It was bloodied, but the coat itself was dark in color, so the blood was unnoticeable.

"…I remember…that Auntie Abigail brought you to see me…Michalis attacked her…I don't remember anything after that…"

"…Don't worry about it. It wasn't your fault," I said.

"Thomas, I…I killed SlashAngemon!" Irene sobbed quietly. "Everything is my fault! It's always been that way, my entire life! That's probably why don't know where my mother is…I don't deserve to have anything good happen to me! I _want_ to apologize for everything I've done, but how can I do that when I don't deserve forgiveness?!"

"Irene...if you want to apologize…then take me to your master. Take me to the one you called Lilithmon."

* * *

**Abigail**

"John…is it really you?" I asked.

"Yes…when I was a Human, that was my name," Flamedramon said. "I…have forgotten what it's like to be Human, but I know I was…your lover. Abigail…I've never been able to stop thinking about you. And now look at you; you've become even more beautiful than I could have ever imagined…"

"John…Flamedramon…I love you," I said. My heart was thumping rapidly in my chest, but I resisted the urge to embrace Flamedramon. "…Unfortunately, now is not the time for this. My master…she must be stopped."

"I understand," Flamedramon said. "If we're going to fight her, we should get those two from Lachesis to help us."

"You mean Thomas and Zelda? Thomas is already on the bottom floor of the warehouse, talking to Irene."

"So, we just need to go back to that knight's villa to get Zelda?" Flamedramon asked.

"It probably wouldn't hurt if we could get Statuedramon or Apollomon to come with us," I said. "Wait a minute…where did Michalis go?!"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"My…master?" Irene asked. "Lilithmon…?"

"Yes…if you can lead me to whoever is in charge of the Bio Hybrids, then all will be forgiven," I said. "I promise."

"…Okay. There's just one problem, though," Irene said. "My master isn't anywhere on Arcadia."

"…What?"

"Have you ever heard of the legend of Mandala City?"

"I think so…that's the ancient city that sank to the bottom of the ocean, isn't it?"

"That is where my master lives. The entire city is surrounded by a magical barrier that keeps the water from flooding in, and it allows everyone in the city to breathe normally, without fear of drowning."

"Will it be possible for you to take me there, Irene? Without me drowning, that is?"

"Yes, of course. When would you like me to take you? Do you want to go back…home and get Statuedramon?" After a moment's thought, I shook my head.

"No…I don't want to put my friends in danger like that," I said.

"If that is what you wish; let us go to Mandala."

"So, _that's_ what you plan on doing," a voice from behind us said.

"Michalis!" Irene quickly ran behind me.

"Don't worry; I won't let him hurt you," I whispered.

"Killing the two of you…will be _so_ much _fun_!"

"Stand back, Irene!" I drew my sword as Michalis pulled out his Digivice.

"Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioReapmon! Your end has come!"

"ENOUGH!" another voice yelled.

"You…Clive? You're _alive_?! Didn't I kill you?" BioReapmon asked.

"When you stab a man…you'd better make sure he's dead," Clive replied. "Otherwise…he might just come back to stab you back."

"_Come on, let's get out of here while they're arguing,_" I whispered. The two of us snuck out of the warehouse when neither of the men were looking.

* * *

**Michalis**

"So, what do you want, old man?" I asked.

"Come, now, is that any way to address your father?" Clive asked.

"What do you want?!"

"I've…come to stop you, son. Ever since I found out I was your father…it really made me think back to everything I've done, and I—"

"I don't CARE!" I thrust my dagger into Clive's neck. His blood immediately spurted out on me, onto the floor. Gasping for air, Clive slipped on his blood and fell down.

"Michalis…you…you'd kill your own _father_…?"

"Why not? I killed my _mother_, after all." Clive stared at me, surprised, right before I slammed my foot in his face. Clive eventually stopped moving, and after a while, I heard him take his last, shaky breath.. "And now, to kill…Damn it, they're gone! See what you've done, old man?! I've lost them, and…and you can't hear me…" I looked around the empty warehouse. "Fuck, Lilithmon sure is going to give me an earful for _this_…"

* * *

**Flamedramon**

**Outside Saias's Villa**

**20 Minutes**

"What should we say?" I asked. I looked uncertainly at the door of the villa, expecting Apollomon to burst through and attack us.

"What do you mean?" Abigail asked.

"Well, I'm a serial killer, and you're a Bio Hybrid…It's going to be pretty awkward if we just knock on the door and say, 'Hello, person we tried once tried to murder! May we see Zelda and Statuedramon for a moment? We promise not to murder them!'"

"Well, let's just knock and see what happens." Abigail reached over and knocked on the door, and after a few moments, it opened.

"…Flamedramon. What is it you want?" Apollomon asked testily.

"We need to speak with Zelda and Statuedramon," I said. Apollomon didn't move. "Uh…" _let's see, what was that word called_… "Please?"

"Zelda might trust you, but just know that I will _never_ trust someone like you," Apollomon said.

"I understand. Now, can we please speak with Zelda and Statuedramon?"

"…Wait here." Apollomon slammed the door, and I could vaguely hear him walk away. A few moments later, I heard his footsteps once again. The door opened; Zelda and Statuedramon walked out onto the front porch to join us, and they were followed by Apollomon. "So, what was it you wanted to say?"

"Thomas left a while ago to speak with Irene," Abigail said. "We couldn't find them, so I can only assume that he's left to fight the leader of the Bio Hybrids.

"What makes you say that?" Apollomon asked.

Abigail shrugged. "I knew him pretty well when we were both growing up in Cyclamen. That's pretty much the only thing I can imagine him doing right now." Statch looked completely taken aback.

"What?! Why the hell would he do something like that without asking for my help?!" Statuedramon asked.

"Who knows? He probably just wanted to get it over with so his friends wouldn't get hurt," I said.

"Unfortunately, our leader is too powerful for just him on his own," Abigail said. "If he's to have any chance of getting out of that fight alive, he'll need your help."

"Where is he going?" Zelda asked with a worried expression on her face.

"Have any of you heard of Mandala City?"

"The city on the bottom of the ocean…where a friend of mine was witness to his close friend's death," Apollomon said. "Abigail…who is the leader of the Bio Hybrids? You never did give a name."

"Our leader…is none other than Lilithmon."

"…Well…I can't honestly say I was expecting to ever hear _that_ name ever again. I'll go with you."

"No, I don't think that's a very good idea, big guy," I said. "We found some of these laying around all over Yew on our way over." I handed Apollomon some paper.

"…What?! What the hell is _this_?!" Apollomon looked up at me. "Is this some kind of sick joke, Flamedramon?!"

"They are exactly what they say. The Valencian Knights have put a warrant out for your arrest, as well as for everyone else in your group. It's best that you stay here for now, out of sight."

"…Damn it. You two…just make sure you come back with Thomas."

"Don't worry, sir," Zelda said.

"We'll be careful," Statuedramon saluted.

"We'll make sure they are," I said. The four of us left, en route to Yew, without taking a look back at the villa.

"Hold on…I just thought of something," Statuedramon said. "If Mandala is at the bottom of the ocean, how are we all going to get there?"

"You don't need to worry; our group has several…special areas known as Warp Tiles hidden throughout various buildings on the continent," Abigail said. "Mandala is on the other side of the continent, near Shendu and Cherifia Territories. However, once we find one of these Warp Tiles, we'll be in the city in a matter of seconds."

"And what's to keep us from drowning once we do get to the city?" Statuedramon asked.

"A magic barrier surrounds the city," Abigail replied. "It keeps the ocean's water from leaking through and drowning everyone in the city."

**Apollomon**

I leaned my head back on the couch I sat on. "Lilithmon…so, you really _were_ pulling the strings all this time," I sighed. "Only _this_ time, there's nothing I can do about it…not without risking the lives of all my comrades…"

"What should we do, Apollomon?" Dianamon asked. She was the only one who sat with me in the living room.

"Right now…something needs to be done about those arrest warrants," I said. "There's nothing that can be done about the Lilithmon issue…so right now, I need to make sure my family isn't locked away…or killed."

"What in the world can you possibly do about that?" I sighed once more, and looked at the papers handed to me by Flamedramon. The one I held had a picture of me, and a reward listed on the bottom.

"Hold on…it says these were issued by…Knight Commander Saias!"

"Saias?! Why would he do a thing like that?! And how?! Wasn't he supposed to be dead?!" Dianamon asked.

"…I don't know. I have no idea what's going on…but clearly, something needs to be done about this! I don't have any choice…I'm going to have to find him and speak with him face-to-face." I gave Dianamon a determined look. "I'm going. Don't try and stop me."

* * *

**Adrian**

"Abigail…where are you?! You were supposed to be back an hour ago!" I griped. Sighing wearily, I viewed my surroundings…Mandala truly was a beautiful city, and the fact that it had been submerged in the ocean only intensified this. The sun shined above us, and the ocean refracted it, making its light shine and sparkle all around us.

"Calm yourself, Adrian," Sephyrus said. "The Lady is due back any minute now; you wouldn't wish to displease her, would you?"

"…No…I don't."

"Then see that you keep your mouth shut; your constant griping is getting on my nerves!" Michalis said.

"Right…I'll try…" _I need to keep Lady Lilithmon on my good side…I need those Ancient Spirits!_

"Silence, you fools! Our lady approaches!" Sephyrus said, quickly bending down to one knee. Michalis and I did the same.

"My dear, dear Bio Hybrids…it has been _far_ too long since I've seen you…" Lilithmon stepped out of the shadows and walked up to the three of us. "Do tell me; _how_ have you been, hmm?"

"We have been most excellent, Milady," Sephyrus said.

"Can't complain," Michalis said. "How are you this fine day…Mother?" Lilithmon smiled at Michalis.

"All is well, my wonderful son," Lilithmon said.

"Abigail has been missing for over an hour, and I don't know where she is!" I blurted out.

"Do not worry, dear Adrian; I am certain she will turn up eventually," Lilithmon said. "So, how has the search for quintessence been going? How much more have you gotten?"

"Well…with Braig's lab permanently encased in ice, and with both Braig _and_ Ienzo dead, our collection process has slowed down considerably," Michalis said.

"Rest assured, Milady, we still gather quintessence for you yet, and though it has slowed down, we will not give up until you have all that you desire," Sephyrus said.

"Good…see that you don't," Lilithmon said. "Our immortality awaits!"


	46. The Golden Digivice

**Abigail**

Our journey to Yew had not taken very long. It was close to midnight, but the moon could not be seen. The sky was covered in dark clouds, and it was raining just a little bit. By this time, we had entered a tavern in the city of Yew, and looked down at a square, blue tile.

"Wow…so, you guys had portals to go to your secret hideout even right here in Yew?" Statuedramon asked.

"Not just here; we have them all over the continent," I said. _The last time I was here…it was with Adrian…back when we thought Flamedramon would kill me if he discovered I was following him…And now, here he is, the reincarnation of the person I've been trying to bring back from the other side…_

"It looks kind of…ordinary," Statuedramon said. He stared at the small, square tile of the bar we stood in; aside from the fact that it was emitting a blue light, he was right; the tile did look ordinary.

"Well, we didn't want it to stick out too much," I said. "They react to the presence of Bio Hybrids like me; that's why it's glowing blue. If an ordinary person steps on it, no big deal, but if you've got one of us with you…"

"We'll instantly be taken to Mandala?" Zelda asked.

"Correct. And, after you have been there once, you can use the tiles to take yourselves there as many times as you wish. Are you all ready to go?" I asked.

"Yeah; let's go help Thomas kill that evil bitch!" Statuedramon ran onto the tile, and in a split second, he vanished. Zelda followed soon after him, and she too vanished.

"Are you coming?" Flamedramon asked.

"After you." Flamedramon gave me an odd look before he stepped on the tile and vanished. "…I'm sorry, Flamedramon. I'm never going back to Mandala ever again." I turned away from the tile and walked out of the bar. _If she ever sees me again…then not even_ you_ could protect me…_

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"So, this is what you've been using," I mused, observing the small, glowing tile that lay before me in what looked like a tavern in the city of Yew.

"Yes; though I am able to get to Mandala without these on my own because of my Digimon form, these are usually what I use to get there when I'm with the others," Irene said.

"…How do they work?"

"Oh, it's very easy; all you have to do is step on them, and they'll immediately take you to Mandala, but only if there's a Bio Hybrid like me close by. That's to keep unwanted guests out of our hideout," Irene said. "Look, I'll show you…just in case you still don't trust me…"

"Irene, I never said I didn't trust you," I said. Irene, however, had already stepped on the tile, and instantly, she vanished, to my surprise. I sighed, slipping my hands into the pockets of my coat, which Irene had given back to me a while ago. Unexpectedly, I found something hidden deep at the bottom of my pocket. Pulling it out, I found it was the necklace Zelda had given me when Apollomon had allowed her to join our guild. _This necklace…it's been in my coat pocket all this time so nothing would happen to it…_ I slowly ran my thumb over the gem in the middle of the necklace.

_I'd like you to have this necklace; it was given to me by my sister, Hannah. All this time I've spent away from her, I've let myself believe that it protected me from harm, just as she used to do. Now, I would like to believe that it could protect you, too…_ Zelda's words echoed in my mind.

"Well…what have I got to lose?" I slipped the necklace around my neck, and with a final look at the pendant, I stepped onto the tile. In an instant, I was transported out of the small house Irene had led me to and taken to the entrance of a colossal city.

* * *

**Apollomon**

**Yew**

_Almost there…the center of Yew, where the military base for the knights is…that is where Saias will be…if he's really still alive…There. That's it._ I looked out of the alleyway I hid in and gazed at a huge, ornate building, covered with the knight's flags. _Yeah, this is it. Now, I just have to make sure nobody sees me…Oh, screw it; who the hell cares if they do?!_ I marched out of the alley and up to the military base. Several nearby knights noticed me; some of them even ordered me to stop. I, however, ignored them, and continued on my way into the base.

"You there; what do you think you're doing?!" one knight asked.

"I am looking for the office belonging to Knight Commander Saias," I said.

"Uh…it's down this hallway, last door to your right," the knight said.

"Thank you, sir," I replied before hurrying off.

"Wait, where are you—"

"Forgive me…Phoebus Blow!" I clenched my fist and rammed it into the knight's stomach. He immediately fell to the floor, unconscious.

"_Attention, all personnel!_" a voice said over the intercom system. "_This is Knight Commander Saias. There is an intruder in our building. The intruder is one of the wanted Digimon. His name is Apollomon. I order everyone to leave immediately, and return to your homes and lodgings. If you see him, do not approach him; do not engage him in combat. Avoid him at all costs, and continue on your way. I repeat, avoid the Digimon Apollomon at all costs. Over._"

"So, that's how you want it? You're making this easier for me, my friend, aren't you?" I asked, smirking. I soon found the door the now unconscious knight had spoken of; carefully, I walked in, quietly closing the door behind me. There, sitting behind his desk, was Saias. "Why am I not surprised you wanted the glory of killing me all to yourself?"

"I don't know what you mean, friend," Saias said. "I simply wished for the others to leave so they wouldn't get caught up in our raging battle."

"Saias, what the hell is going on?!" I asked.

"…I've changed, Apollomon. For the better. Before, I was nothing more than a simple subhuman, with a simple, subhuman dream…all that changed when I met _her_…Lilithmon."

"She turned you into a Bio Hybrid?!"

"Yes…yes, she did. The only thing I wanted in return…what Lilithmon promised me in return for everything I've done, and will do, for her…was for her to erase my identity as one of the Marked."

"The Marked? Then…you have it? Just like Zelda?"

"…So, she really does have it, after all. I had my suspicions when I first met her, but I didn't want to make a big deal about it. Anyway, Lilithmon promised that, once I've done everything she asks of me, she'll make it so the Marked are never ridiculed, insulted, murdered, or anything else terrible that's happened to them! No longer will people think of me as nothing more than a mistake, or a crime against our beloved Goddess Arcadia! When people hear the name of Knight Commander Saias, they will tremble in fear, they _will_ respect me! Never again…will I be treated like _trash_!"

"Saias…I—"

"Shut up; it's too late to talk your way out of this! I'm doing this for the benefit of ALL my Marked brothers and sisters!" Saias pulled a gold-colored Digivice from his armor and slammed the palm of his hand over it. The device emitted a blinding, bright light that filled the entire room. "Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioBlackWarGreymon!"

_Oh, no…not _that_ Digimon!_ I had heard stories of just how powerful a BlackWarGreymon could be…and now, I was actually about to fight one.

"Apollomon! Your luck…has just run out!" A flaming sphere materialized in the Bio Hybrid's hand.


	47. Beneath the Surface

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Mandala**

"So, this is Mandala?" I asked. Irene nodded.

"Due to its isolation for about 500 years, it is virtually unchanged from the time whence it sank. …It's beautiful, isn't it? So…_romantic_…" It was nigh impossible to argue with her; from the overall design of the city, its ancient, white marble architecture and its layout, to the ocean that surrounded it, with all the various aquatic Digimon swimming around it, Mandala was absolutely breathtaking. The younger girl had insisted on holding on tightly to my hand as we walked through the city. I could tell she was frightened to be here, betraying Lilithmon, but I wasn't going to let anything happen to her. "When you want to leave, just step on that blue tile over there," Irene said. "That will warp you immediately back to the place you came here from. Since you've been here now, you can use these tiles to come and go from Mandala as you please."

"…Will the other Bio Hybrids be here?"

"It's possible. Abigail and I left, and Magnus is dead, meaning Adrian, Sephyrus, and Michalis will be here, with Saias still in Yew."

"Wait, _Saias_?! Don't tell me _he's_ a Bio Hybrid too!"

"I'm afraid he is; do you remember that night he fought something in the woods, and was carried off? It was Sephyrus he fought that night; he dragged Saias to Braig's lab, where he was turned into a Bio Hybrid."

"…Tell me, was it Braig who turned _you_ into a Bio Hybrid?"

"Yes; Braig turned Adrian, Magnus, Saias, Michalis, and me into Bio Hybrids. I don't know who turned Abigail and Sephyrus into one, though I doubt it was Ienzo. It was probably Lilithmon."

"Lilithmon…that's who all the Bio Hybrids work for?" Irene nodded.

"She promised me she would help me find my mother if I did everything she asked of me. I'm…sorry. I joined Lilithmon…before I joined Lachesis…"

"Don't worry about it, Irene. Nobody's going to be mad at you when you return." I smiled down at the petite girl, who gave a small smile back.

"Whoa, this place is bitchin'!" a loud voiced echoed practically throughout the entire city.

"…Please tell me I didn't just hear that," I said.

"It sounded like Statuedramon," Irene said.

"That's exactly what I was afraid of…"

"Oh, hey! Thomas! What's up, buddy?!" Statuedramon came running up to me, with Zelda and Flamedramon right behind him, but stopped when he noticed Irene. "Oh…you're here, too…"

"Statuedramon…I know I don't deserve any forgiveness…for what I did to SlashAngemon…but I would like to apologize," Irene said.

"There…is nothing for you to apologize for," Statuedramon said. "I am not mad at you, Irene…You did what you had to do…"

"Statuedramon…I'm so…sorry…"

"Please, don't cry, Irene," Zelda said.

I looked nervously at Zelda and Statch, and then quietly asked, "So, what are you two doing here?"

"Duh, we're your friends! We didn't want Lilithmon to kill you!" Statuedramon said.

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you two I was coming here; I didn't want to see her do the same to you."

"I don't want to see any more of my friends get killed either, which is exactly why I'm fine with _Flamedramon_ being here!" Statch said.

"…Gee…thanks a lot, Statch," Flamedramon said sarcastically.

"You're welcome."

"Say…have any of you seen Abigail? She was right behind me…"

"…Didn't she come with us?" Zelda asked.

"If Auntie Abigail isn't here now, she's not coming," Irene said. "This is the place where all the Bio Hybrids meet; I guess she just didn't want to be noticed…"

"Statuedramon, what's wrong?" I asked. My Digimon had been looking around nervously for a few seconds.

"Guys…we aren't alone…Everyone, get down!" The five of us ducked down just as two shots were fired, missing all of us.

"Aw, now look at what you've done, lizard. You've gone and spoiled my surprise entrance!" A tall Digimon leapt down from a tall, marble column and landed in front of us.

"BioBeelzemon," Flamedramon said.

"That's right; now, which of you wants to die first?"

* * *

**Apollomon**

"Apollomon, your luck has just run out!" BioBlackWarGreymon said. "Terra Destroyer!"

"Solblaster!" Our two fire attacks collided, resulting in a huge explosion that overtook the entire building in its flames. "Damn it…where is he?!" The flames were large, and the smoke was thick, making it nearly impossible to see.

"Black Tornado!" BioBlackWarGreymon tore through the flames while spinning, crashing into my chest.

"Phoebus Blow!"

"Dramon Destroyer!" My fists collided over and over with the claws of his gauntlets. My knuckles were bleeding like crazy, and yet I didn't let up my attacks. After a while, I managed to successfully strike BioBlackWarGreymon in the face with my left fist, momentarily catching him off guard.

"Arrow of Apollo!" The jewel on my right hand fired numerous arrows from it at his torso, but after a few hits, he clawed at my face. My attack stopped, and the part of my face his claws struck bled heavily into the fire. A few of the flames flickered where my blood landed, and some died down ever so slightly.

"Terra Destroyer!" BioBlackWarGreymon hurled another fireball at me, hurling me backwards into the flames. I was completely surrounded by them. "Mega Destroyer!"

"Solblaster!" BioBlackWarGreymon charged through the flames once more just as I readied my strongest attack. He took the Solblaster face-first, knocking him back. "Phoebus Blow!" I began once more punching the Bio Hybrid over and over in the face, and though he was unable to block, with each punch I threw, my knuckles bled harder and harder. "How could you, Saias?! How could you betray us like this?! What the fuck is the matter with you?!"

"In order for me to get what I want…no, what I _need_…I must do what Lilithmon asks of me, and if that means murdering former friends of mine, then so be it! Terra Destroyer!"

"Phoebus Blow!" My fist collided with BioBlackWarGreymon's attack just as he launched it. The fireball dissipated, though its flames rained down on the blazing inferno covering the large room we were in.

"Is this all you've got, Apollomon?!" BioBlackWarGreymon yelled. "It's not nearly enough! If you aim to defeat me, you'll have to try better than _that_! _Hit me with everything you've got_!"

"Solblaster!" I held onto my fireball for a few moments, allowing it to increase in size before I hurled it at the Bio Hybrid. As I did, the flames rose higher and higher, and I couldn't see anything else. Their roar was so powerful, I couldn't even hear if my attack hit its target or not. "Damn it…all this smoke…getting hard to breathe…"

"Dramon Destroyer!" BioBlackWarGreymon leapt through the flames, his armor badly singed. He landed on top of me, pinning me to the ground. His hand was clasped around my neck, the claws of his gauntlets just barely missing my face as they were jammed into the ground. I raised my arms and wrapped my hands around his neck, but I couldn't get him to let go, and soon, it all went dark around me.

* * *

**Dianamon**

_Apollomon…where are you?!_ I ran hurriedly through the darkened and wet streets of Yew, frantically looking around for the Mega Digimon. _I shouldn't have let you go alone! What was I thinking when I didn't go with you?! What if it's too late?!_

"Hey, did you hear about that fire downtown?" said a voice on the street. I immediately stopped running so I could listen to the conversation between the two passersby.

"Yeah, it's at the old military base, isn't it? Just like last time, when their armory burned down."

_Oh, no…that's where Apollomon is!_

"It just started a few minutes ago, I heard. I wonder how long it'll last this time."

_Apollomon!_ I began running once again, hoping I would find Apollomon in time. _Apollomon, don't you fucking_ dare_ die on me, damn it!_


	48. On Behalf of All Life

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Mandala**

BioBeelzemon grinned down at us. The tall Bio Hybrid was easily the tallest among us, and had his shotgun aimed right at me. I glanced behind; Irene was nowhere in sight. It was just Zelda, Statuedramon, Flamedramon, and me.

_Against a monster like this…Well, I'm just glad Irene won't get caught up in all of it. But now, to keep Zelda out of it…and safe from all harm…_

"Now, which of you wants to die first?" BioBeelzemon asked.

"Hey, wait for me! I'm not letting you keep all the fun of killing these losers for yourself!" a voice from behind the Bio Hybrid wheezed.

"…Adrian, if you don't want to be left behind, then you should _walk faster_!" BioBeelzemon snapped.

"Don't order me around, mama's boy! You're still a newbie, after all!" Adrian retorted. "Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioArbormon!"

"…Well? Aren't you going to join in the fight, Sephyrus?" BioBeelzemon asked.

"No. It is not yet time for me to reveal my true form," Sephyrus said. He was standing far away from the rest of us, quietly observing. "Trust me; you'll know when it's time."

"Whatever you say, old man; Double Impact!"

"Blockade Seed!"

"Everyone, get behind me!" Statuedramon yelled, holding up his shield. Flamedramon crouched behind the shorter Rookie, and I backed up a few steps to join them after protectively grabbing Zelda to shield me behind both Statuedramon and myself. "Dimensional Shield!"

"All right; get him, Adrian!" BioBeelzemon said. Neither Digimon attacked.

"What?!" Statch gasped.

"We knew you would do that, lizard! Roundhouse Punt!" BioArbormon's legs detached themselves as he kicked Statuedramon's arms. The Rookie Digimon's sword and shield flew out of his hands, far out of his reach. "With your sword and shield gone, you're useless! You aren't going to kill us the way you almost did Magnus!"

"Fire Rocket!" Flamedramon leapt through the air and charged into BioArbormon. The attack had taken the Bio Hybrid by surprise and had knocked him unconscious. The body of Arbormon vanished, leaving Adrian's behind. "Well, that wasn't very difficult."

"Yeah, defeating Adrian usually isn't," BioBeelzemon admitted. Taking his shotgun in hand, he aimed them at Flamedramon.

"Come forth, Leomon!"

"Fist of the Beast King!" Leomon unleashed a flaming lion's head from his fist, which struck BioBeelzemon on the side of the head.

"Is there anything you'd like to say to me now that my back _isn't_ turned?!" BioBeelzemon asked.

"Beast Sword!" Leomon ran up to the Bio Hybrid and slashed him across the chest with his sword. Blood came spilling out of the wound the Digimon Spirit inflicted on the Bio Hybrid as he tried steadying himself.

"No…damn it…how could I have lost?! And to a Champion level…"

"You are not as powerful as you think. To have power is not to be strong. Your power was given to you, and as long as you seek your power within others, instead of yourself, then you will never be strong," Leomon said.

"You don't know _anything_! Darkness Claw!" As BioBeelzemon fell to the ground, tightly clutching his bleeding chest, he thrust his free claw into Leomon's stomach before the Bio Hybrid fell the rest of the way to the floor. Beelzemon's body vanished, leaving Michalis's body behind, unconscious, but alive.

_Interesting…his clothes are soaked in blood, and yet…he doesn't seem to be bleeding anymore…and it seems as though he's still alive, too…_

"Leomon, are you okay?!" Zelda asked.

"I am fine; do not be concerned, my lady, for I am only a Spirit," Leomon said.

"Quite an amazing display of fighting prowess," Sephyrus said, slowly walking up to us. "There aren't very many people who can stand up to Michalis and Adrian and defeat them this quickly. I'm honestly quite impressed."

"Stay back…Zelda," Leomon said, breathing heavily.

"But now…it is time for you to be destroyed…once and for all!" Sephyrus pulled a grey Bio Link Digivice from his priest's robes and placed the palm of his hand over it. "Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioPremenitmon!" The Digimon Sephyrus became looked at us, his eyes glowing an eerie bright yellow.

_So…this is what Saias fought the night we all thought he was killed…_

"You may have defeated Adrian and Michalis with relative ease…but just know…I am the oldest and the most powerful of _all_ the Bio Hybrids!" BioPremenitmon said. "And once you are all defeated…every last ounce of your quintessence will go straight to Lady Lilithmon!"

"Why?!" I suddenly blurted out. "Why are you searching for quintessence?!"

"…That's a stupid question. Why _wouldn't_ we? If enough is gathered, it can make a person all-powerful, immortal even! We'd be fools to pass up an opportunity like that!"

"He's gone mad," Leomon said. "I'll have to take care of him myself!"

"Wait, Leomon; don't! You're injured," Zelda said.

"Do not fear for my safety, Zelda; Leomon is on the job!" Leomon said as he began to glow with the light of Digivolution. "Leomon Digivolve to, SaberLeomon!"

"So, it is you who wishes to be first in a line of fools? So be it," BioPremenitmon said.

"Howling Crusher!" SaberLeomon pounced toward the lizard-like Digimon, his claws extended. BioPremenitmon, however, sighed, and before SaberLeomon landed on him, BioPremenitmon raised the golden ankh in his hand and flipped the large beast over onto his back.

"Unlike the _other_ Bio Hybrids, I am _not_ to be taken lightly," BioPremenitmon said. "Golden Ankh!" BioPremenitmon's ankh emitted a blinding ray of golden light from it on SaberLeomon; the enormous Mega roared in pain, and I could almost hear his fur sizzling under the intense light. "This light…if one basks in it for a long enough time, they will eventually come to leave this plane of existence…your soul will be pulled from your body, and you will eventually be reborn as another…Such is the miracle of life."

"Twin Fang!" SaberLeomon quickly got back up to his paws and rammed his head down onto BioPremenitmon's body; however, the smaller Digimon stopped the beast simply by holding his hand up.

"It seems you'd rather stay the way you are now. I understand," BioPremenitmon said. "Claw of Phantasms!" Both of the Bio Hybrid's hands seemed to turn invisible, but at the same time, they were as clearly visible as the rest of his body. BioPremenitmon raked his claws across SaberLeomon's face. The beast immediately stopped trying to maul BioPremenitmon and instead began to look around the city, a confused expression spreading across his furry face.

"SaberLeomon, what's wrong?" Zelda asked. SaberLeomon ignored her, and when a collapsed marble column came into his view, he immediately pounced on it, clawing and biting it with all of his might. "What did you do to him?!" she asked tearfully.

"My attack, in addition to inflicting physical damage, makes all those struck by it delirious; they see things that aren't really there," BioPremenitmon explained. "The more times one is hit with the attack, the more intense the illusions are, and the more dangerous and painful they can become, up until the point that the illusion kills them…in their minds, whatever they see kills them…In some cases, I've noticed this can lead to one's actual, permanent death. Of course, SaberLeomon is only a Digimon Spirit, so nothing terribly bad will happen to him…"

"But…he can still feel pain," Zelda said tearfully.

"Yes, I suppose he can, can't he?" BioPremenitmon asked. "Very well; I'll end this. Shadow Evolution!" BioPremenitmon's body became covered in shadows, and in a split second, his form changed into that of the Exalted Knight Gallantmon, the shadows nowhere to be seen. "Well, won't this be ironic? Sent back to the plane of existence where Digimon Spirits dwell in by the very Digimon he replaced; Final Elysion!" SaberLeomon was completely shrouded in a beam of light coming from Gallantmon's shield. Gallantmon's attack finally ended, and SaberLeomon had vanished. "Who's next?"

* * *

**Apollomon**

**Yew**

I slowly opened my eyes. I was still surrounded by thick, roaring, flames.

_BioBlackWarGreymon…where is he?!_ I looked around and soon found the Bio Hybrid standing above me, breathing heavily.

"You…you are still alive," he said. He looked as though he were on the verge of collapsing. "Why won't you…stay _dead_?!"

"I've got something I'm fighting for," I replied. "I fight…to keep my family, Lachesis, safe. That means out of prison…and away from a firing squad…Saias. You only fight for yourself…that is why you will not win."

"You're wrong…_you're wrong_!" he shouted. "I fight…because the world needs to recognize what it has done for far too long to the Marked! Everyone needs to pay for what they've done to us!"

"…I see. At first, I thought you were just fighting for your _own_ benefit when you said that…but now I understand. You fight on behalf of all Marked…like Zelda," I said. "But what you are doing…is nothing more than senseless revenge…you've turned into Flamedramon, Saias."

"I don't care what everyone else thinks of me, so long as I can make the world a better place for the Marked…even if it means destroying everyone who isn't Marked!"

"I can't let you do that, Saias."

"You can't _let_ me?! Who ever said I was asking for your _permission_?!"

"For all life on Arcadia…for Humans…for Digimon…and for the Marked…I _will_ stop you! Solblaster!"

"Terra Destroyer!"


	49. When Knights Fall

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Mandala**

"Well? Who would like to go next?" BioPremenitmon asked, turning from Gallantmon back to his lizard-like form.

"Try fighting me; see how long you last," Flamedramon said.

"It would be an honor, Flamedramon."

"Sephyrus, I order you to stand down," a voice from behind the Bio Hybrid said.

"Yes, my lady," BioPremenitmon laid down his ankh and turned his back to us, bowing down to one knee.

"…She's coming," Irene said in a quiet, shaky voice.

"Who?!" Statch asked.

"That voice…it was Lilithmon's…" In a matter of seconds, the Mega Digimon Irene spoke of appeared before BioPremenitmon. She looked exactly as was described in ancient texts. An attractive woman clad in dark robes, with wings protruding from her back. Her right hand was golden, and hung limply at her side.

"So…at long last, we all meet," Lilithmon said, a wry smile forming on her lips. "Thomas, the Assassin. Zelda, the Bishop. Statuedramon, the Fool…oh, and even Flamedramon decided to honor us with his presence!" Lilithmon looked over at Irene, and to my surprise, instead of glaring, she smiled at the small girl. "Irene…I'm glad you decided to come."

"I'm sorry…Lilithmon," Irene said, looking away from the Digimon.

"You don't have to worry about your betrayal, Irene; this does not affect my decision of helping you find your mother," Lilithmon said. "That is, I _never_ planned on helping you." Lilithmon began laughing to herself. "How is it possible…to find someone who's dead, after all?!"

"…N—no…my mother?! No…no, she can't be!"

"She can and she is! Slain by my hand!" Lilithmon held up her right hand, a golden claw. "You are _so_ easy to fool, Irene; my Goddess, you're lucky you're _so_ freaking adorable all the time! I killed your mother, Irene, because even at that young an age, I could sense a strong amount of quintessence from you…who would have ever thought so much could be packed away in such a tiny little body? I purposely never showed my _real_ face to you…because I knew that, if you saw me murder your mother at that age, you'd have remembered my beautiful face…oh, if only you were a little younger at the time, I wouldn't have had to be so careful all of the time…I decided to keep you close to me for when you got a little older…When that happened, I would harvest every last ounce of your quintessence, Irene!"

"Wait…that woman she was always speaking with…that was _you_?!" Irene asked.

"Of _course_; quintessence has all sorts of powers, you know. One of them is to fuse Humans and Digimon together to make Bio Hybrids…another use is to change someone's appearance. That's why I had to be so careful; I had to make sure I didn't waste too much of my quintessence changing my appearance…and I also had to make sure you weren't around when I killed your mother so that I could make you think she had gone missing, rather than to the Dark Area! That way, I could keep you close and have you do whatever I needed you to do."

"No…my mother…"

"Don't look so sad, Irene; it's not as if your promise is the _only_ one I'm breaking," Lilithmon said. Irene broke down in tears, and I felt a familiar rage billow up within me. "I promised Adrian the Spirits of Legendary Warriors from long ago…as if some foolish old myth like that could ever be real! Michalis and Sephyrus here are the only two who are gracious enough to work with me without asking for anything in return. Oh, and speaking of Michalis…Thomas, it might interest you to know that Michalis was the one…who murdered Victoria." My heart skipped a beat. I nearly dropped my sword upon hearing this.

"Michalis...? No…he couldn't have," I said. My head was spinning. Everything around me seemed to be a total blur. I could barely even think.

"But he did! Stabbed her over and over with a knife given to him by Sephyrus," Lilithmon said, pointing at BioPremenitmon. "The same knife he killed his father with." The Mega Digimon began laughing maniacally, but her twisted smile vanished when she caught a glimpse of my face. "Oh, come _on_; what's _wrong_ with you?! Show a little emotion, why don't you!"

"Thomas…" Statuedramon looked over at me worriedly. I steadily looked down at the ground, ignoring my best friend. I listened in shock as the evil Digimon continued to prattle on.

"Oh, well, perhaps you'd be interested to know that she was pregnant!" Lilithmon went on to say. My fingers gently clenched around the hilt of my sword. I breathed in and sighed, trying to keep a level head. "Michalis told me that Victoria told him she was right before he murdered her! So, not only did he murder that sweet, innocent woman, he murdered the unborn child in her belly!"

"…She needs to die," Flamedramon said to himself, shaking his head in disgust at Lilithmon. Lilithmon, however, continued to glare at me.

"…You are _so_ fucking boring, you know that?! Would it _kill_ you to show a little emotion?! C'mon; you should be trying to rip my throat out for having ordered Michalis to do that! Hate me, damn it! Just show some fucking emotion, you bastard!"

"I've had enough," Statuedramon said. "I'm killing this bitch!"

"Statuedramon, don't," I said. "You don't stand a chance—"

"Sword of Dragon's Soul!"

"Darkness Love!" Lilithmon blew the attacking Statuedramon a kiss, which formed a black heart in front of her that unleashed a devastating beam of dark energy at the Rookie Digimon.

"Statuedramon!" The Rookie flew backward through the air, screaming in pain until he landed unconscious on the floor in a puddle of his own blood.

"All right, I've had enough of her!" Flamedramon said.

"Sephyrus, if you'd be so kind as to deal with _him_," Lilithmon said.

"It shall be as you wish, my lady," BioPremenitmon said. "Shadow Evolution! Splashmon!"

* * *

**Apollomon**

**Yew**

"Solblaster!"

"Terra Destroyer!" Our two fireballs collided in the air once more; my attack, however, tore through BioBlackWarGreymon's, making it dissipate into nothingness as my attack hit its mark, enveloping the Bio Hybrid in its flames. BioBlackWarGreymon yelled as the flames seared him, burned through what was left of his pitch-black armor. He fell to the ground, landing on his back in the middle of the raging inferno. The form of BlackWarGreymon disappeared, leaving Saias's body behind. His eyes stared deep into mine, unblinking and lifeless. Saias had died.

_I've done it…I've killed him…I should be used to killing by now…but this…This isn't right…he fought with everything he had for what he believed in, and I did the same. Saias…the last time, when I thought you dead, there was still a chance you'd still live, but now…You're not coming back._ The flames around us had died down a considerable amount since our fierce battle concluded. Slowly, I walked through the flames, picked up Saias's lifeless body, and carried him out of the burning building, one step at a time. "You really did a number on me, buddy…if I had attacked just a split second later…it'd have been you walking out alive…and not me…"

"You there…halt!" A heavily armored knight was approaching me as I reached the exit of the knight's base. "Oh…Apollomon…" I recognized the knight's voice at once.

"Lector. It's…been a while…"

"What happened here?" Lector asked, looking up at the blazing building I walked out of. "Hey, are you okay?!"

"Just a fire…nothing more…"

"…Who is that? In your arms, who is that?!" I sighed and laid Saias's moderately burnt corpse at Lector's feet. "…Saias…Who did this to him? Who killed him?!"

"…Lector. _I_ murdered Saias." This was the last moment I remember saying before blacking out. Lector, in a fit of rage, had taken his spear and shoved it deep into the side of my stomach.

* * *

**Dianamon**

"Apollomon! Apollomon, where are you?!" I screamed desperately. The night sky was gradually fading into one of day. The clouds had long since parted, revealing the dim, starry sky. I could see smoke in the distance. Before too long, I finally came to the knight's base I heard the city folk speak of…the one in flames. The one Apollomon was in. "APOLLOMON!" I ran up to the military base, where I saw Apollomon lying in a pool of blood just outside the burning building. A large knight standing in front of him turned to face me.

"Dianamon…you are too late," Lector said. In his hands was a lance, whose tip was stuck inside Apollomon.

"Lector?! _How_ _could_ _you_?!" I shouted. "Crescent Harken!"

"Saias…I'll join you soon," Lector said with a smile just before I tore him to pieces with my weapon. As Lector fell to the ground, his lance fell out of Apollomon's stomach.

"Apollomon! Apollomon, please, wake up! Don't die on me, Apollomon! Speak to me, damn it! Apollomon!" I flung myself to the ground next to his unmoving body, and shook him desperately. I loudly called out his name several times, I even slapped him, all just to try to get him to move. His blood had stained my white armor. He didn't move an inch.


	50. Requiem for the Fallen

**Zelda**

**Mandala**

I looked nervously around the ancient city. Statuedramon, Adrian, and Michalis were all unconscious. Thomas and I exchanged glances. We both knew that Lilithmon had to be stopped or soon, we would all be dead.

"Shadow Evolution! Splashmon!" BioPremenitmon once again became covered in shadows before taking the form of the enormous Digimon Splashmon.

"Fire Rocket!"

"Hydro Pressure!" Splashmon shot water from his fingertips, striking down Flamedramon from the air and dousing the flames covering his body.

"And now…you two are the only ones left," Lilithmon said, looking at Thomas and me.

_Gallantmon has left me…Statuedramon is unconscious, and Flamedramon is _nearly_ there…Irene is nowhere to be seen…and SaberLeomon needs to rest…this is the strongest Digimon I have…I can't let Thomas fight Digimon as powerful as these two!_ "Come forth, Vajramon!"

"You called, Milady?" Vajramon asked.

"Oh, please; this shouldn't even be considered a challenge!" Splashmon said. "Shadow Evolution! Taomon!"

"Those two must be stopped," I said. "I…need you to…to…to destroy…them…"

"Understood; Deva Blade!"

"Talisman of Light!" Taomon leapt into the air, dodging Vajramon's attack, and began to paint a design in the air with a large brush. The design shone itself onto Vajramon's chest, creating a gigantic explosion that completely annihilated the Digimon Spirit. "Shadow Evolution! Premenitmon!" The Bio Hybrid returned to his original form as the lizard. "There is…no more hope for the two of you!"

"Make sure you gather their quintessence when you kill them," Lilithmon ordered.

"Of course, Milady; which one should I kill first?" BioPremenitmon asked.

"Kill…the girl first. Maybe _that_ will bring some emotion to the boy's face!"

"NO!" Thomas ran in front of me, placing himself between the Bio Hybrid and me. "Stay away from her! Fight _me_ instead! Do what you want to me, but I will not let you hurt the woman I love!"

_The woman…that he…_ My eyes widened as I stared at his back. My heart was hit with all sorts of emotions, all of them joyous and confusing. _Thomas…you…you…_

"So be it. Shadow Evolution! Omnimon! Transcendent Sword!" From Omnimon's left hand emerged a great and shining sword which he used to pierce clear through Thomas's body. Omnimon's sword retracted as he turned back into BioPremenitmon. Thomas fell backward into my arms, gasping for air.

"Thomas! THOMAS! NO! NO, YOU CAN'T DIE! THOMAS!" Tears began falling down my face as I called out his name over and over. His mouth opened, and blood spilled out.

"Yes, he's dead!" Lilithmon said excitedly. "All those who _dare_ stand against my Bio Hybrids…all those who _dare_ stand against _me_…they will _all _share in the same fate! They will _all_ be exterminated, and their quintessence extracted!" I paid no intention to Lilithmon's rambling; my arms were tightly around Thomas's body, and becoming stained with blood as more and more gushed out of the wound BioPremenitmon inflicted. His face had gone pale. He stopped breathing, and had gone cold.

"THOMAS!" His blood had stained my clothes, my arms, and my stomach, though I barely noticed.

"He's…really…dead?" Flamedramon said, breaking heavily.

"Yes, he is!" Lilithmon exclaimed. "Look! He's even stopped breathing now!"

"…No…Something isn't right," BioPremenitmon said. "After that attack…where is his quintessence…? I can't sense it…" I looked down at his chest, and to my surprise, around his neck, I could see through the tears in my eyes the necklace I had given him when I was accepted into Lachesis. It wasn't the fact that he was wearing it that surprised me; it was the fact that the gem in the middle of it was glowing light blue.

"That necklace…could it be?!" Lilithmon gasped. "An item…with a portion of my friend's soul inside?!" The three of us looked at Thomas, gasping in surprise as the wound on his chest closed up. The necklace stopped emitting light, and Thomas opened his eyes. He gasped, and began coughing up blood. "It is! That necklace…it's a Horcrux!"

"Thomas! Thomas, you're alive! You're alive! Oh, Thomas…Thomas…Oh, I'm so glad you're okay!" Unable to control myself, I threw my arms around him and hugged him tightly, savoring the feeling of the newfound warmth of his body.

"Zelda…what happened? I was attacked…by Premenitmon…I got stabbed…didn't I die?" he asked. He looked at me with a concerned expression on his face when he noticed that I was covered with his blood.

"I don't understand…what just happened…but it seems evident that you're quite the lucky bastard," Flamedramon said.

"T—Thomas…you're….back…" Thomas looked up at me and smiled. I helped him stand up and, once that was accomplished, I gave him a big kiss on the cheek.

"Well, so what if he can't die?! That doesn't mean there isn't anything he can do to me!" Lilithmon shouted.

"Perhaps…_he_ can't," Flamedramon said, standing up and walking slowly over to me. "But…_she_ can." Flamedramon took my hand and placed something in it. "Give her hell…fellow Marked." I looked at what Flamedramon handed me; it was a Talisman.

_The Digimon design on it…I've never seen anything like it! But, I can tell…this Digimon…This Digimon will be strong enough!_ "Come forth, Dynasmon!"

"_Dynasmon_?! How did you get your hands on a Talisman containing the spirit of a Digimon _that_ powerful?!" BioPremenitmon asked, glaring at Flamedramon.

"I just found it lying on the floor," Flamedramon said casually.

"Sephyrus, do something!" Lilithmon said.

"…As you wish, my fair lady. Shadow Evolution! EmperorGreymon!"

"If you think…you stand a chance against the likes me…you are a fool!" Dynasmon said. The Exalted Knight spread his massive wings and took flight. "When fighting for my master…I never lose! Dragon's Roar!" Dynasmon unleashed a powerful shot of energy from the palms of his hands. The attack collided into the two villains, knocking BioPremenitmon aside as it struck Lilithmon, completely enveloping her in its light as BioPremenitmon reverted back to his Human form.

"Lilithmon, no!" Sephyrus ran over to the Mega Digimon. Dynasmon, however, saw him coming and struck him across the face with one arm, knocking him unconscious.

"Damn…you!" Lilithmon trudged through Dynasmon's attack and raised her right arm. "Even if I die…this attack will destroy you! Even though…you are little more than a Spirit, you will vanish from existence _forever_! Nazar Nail!"

"My Master wishes for you to be vanquished without another living thing having to experience the pain you wrongfully inflict upon them…I shall do as she wishes!" Dynasmon said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Breath of Wyvern!" The aura of a colossal dragon appeared above Dynasmon. The attack soared head first into Lilithmon, and she shrieked as the aura dragon began burning her, searing her skin and igniting parts of her robes. "This…is the end for you."

"No! You fools! You can kill me all you like…but I'll just keep coming back from the Dark Area! Just you wait; when I'm back, I'll make sure you all pay!" Dynasmon's attack ended, and Lilithmon's body was nowhere to be seen.

"My lady…my mission is complete," Dynasmon said, kneeling before Zelda. "Do you have any task you wish for me to complete for you while I remain?"

"Oh…No…you did just fine, Dynasmon," I said, smiling and placing a hand on the Spirit's head. "Thank you, Dynasmon."

"I understand. I shall await further instruction, then." Dynasmon faded away, leaving nothing behind.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"…It's finally over," I said, smiling down at Zelda. To my surprise, Zelda threw her arms around me once more.

"Thomas…I'm so glad…you're okay…when I saw you get stabbed…I thought you…that you were…"

"Don't worry…I'm not going anywhere. I won't ever leave your side. I promise…" I gently placed my arms around her. "Zelda…I love you," I whispered into her ear.

"…Thomas…I love you, too…When I thought I had lost you like that…my heart felt like it was being torn to shreds…and when you came back, I felt…so happy…happier than I ever have been in my entire life…Oh, but…does Apollomon have any…rules about this sort of thing?"

I shook my head. "No…he doesn't. And…speaking of him…we should probably get back before the Bio Hybrids wake up." I looked down at Statuedramon, who was still out cold from when Lilithmon attacked him earlier. Michalis, Adrian, and Sephyrus all seemed to be unconscious, as well. Flamedramon and Irene were nowhere to be seen. Before bending down to pick up the snoozing Statuedramon, I placed a quick kiss on Zelda's forehead. She blushed slightly, and I could see a few tears welling in her eyes, but she looked exactly as she said; happier than she had ever been in her entire life. The two of us, holding hands, walked to the entrance of the city and onto the blue tile Irene had told me of. I had hoped that I would never be required to return to Mandala.


	51. Life Returns

**Sephyrus**

**Mandala**

Lilithmon was gone. Thomas and Zelda left. Flamedramon was nowhere to be seen. Everything was peaceful and silent in Mandala, save for the occasional slow surge of water that could be hear every now and again.

"…Are they gone?" I heard Michalis ask.

"So…the two of you were faking, as well?" I asked.

"Well, not the entire time; I admit I was unconscious for a few minutes, there," Adrian said.

"Me, too," I admitted, laughing slightly. "I don't think any of them noticed…but _you_ did, didn't you?" Michalis and Adrian looked at me, slightly confused. "You can come out, Irene; we aren't going to hurt you." The small girl walked out from behind a marble column

"I…I'm sorry…"

"No need to apologize, my dear; you were confused and frightened, and you simply didn't want to get in the middle of that fight," I said. "Having felt only a small amount of Dynasmon's power, I can say for sure; none of you would want to experience that…"

"So…what should we do?" Michalis asked. "Now that mother's dead…what should we do?"

"What do you mean, Michalis? What else is there to do?" Adrian asked. "We're…just going to have to disband…"

"Disband?! But, I…I don't have anywhere to go…"

"Unless you've got a better idea, that's pretty much our only option."

"Adrian is correct; we have but one option," I said. "However, it is not the one he says. The only option we truly have…is to gather quintessence in Lilithmon's stead."

"Oh…that stuff, again?" Adrian asked.

"Are you displeased with my suggestion?"

"Well, it's just that…I'm not sure if that stuff is really worth looking for anymore, with Lilithmon dead and all…"

"Of course it is! Have you forgotten everything it is capable of, Adrian? Don't you want an eternal life?" I asked.

"…Whatever…"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**1 Hour**

"Apollomon! By Goddess Arcadia, are you okay?!" I asked. The large Mega Digimon was laying down, eyes closed, across a couch in the villa's living room. Blood-stained bandages were wrapped around his torso.

"He'll be fine," Dianamon said. "…Thomas…Saias and Lector are both dead."

"…Oh…Well, I knew that Saias was a Bio Hybrid," I said. "He and Apollomon must've fought…"

"Nobody ever tells me anything!" Statch pouted.

"So, why is Lector dead?" I asked.

"Because I killed him," Dianamon said in a surprisingly casual voice. "He was the one who stabbed Apollomon…I can only surmise that he learned that Apollomon killed Saias, based on what Lector did to him…Lector died with a smile on his face."

"…Why do these things have to happen?" Zelda whispered. I gave her small and dainty hand a reassuring squeeze.

"…Thomas…you've seen Irene recently, haven't you?" Dianamon asked.

"Yes…she went with me to Mandala," I said. "When we started fighting against Lilithmon, and against the other Bio Hybrids…I guess that's when she just ran off…I don't know where she went…"

"What about Flamedramon? He disappeared, too," Zelda said.

"He really saved us down there," I said. "If he hadn't found Dynasmon's Talisman…or, if he weren't there to help us fight against BioArbormon and BioBeelzemon…"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it; everyone did a good job but _me_," Statch grumbled.

"The important thing is not how well you did. You were there with them…you fought alongside them — brief though it may have been — and you never gave up. At least, not intentionally," Apollomon said.

"Oh, Apollomon, you're awake!" Dianamon said. "You should get some more rest, sir."

"What's important is that you made the effort to help out your friends. As long as you can remember that, and not the actual results of how well you did, then you really have done a good job," Apollomon said.

"Oh, really? Well, if that's the case, then I guess I did better than you two!" Statch laughed.

"I wouldn't go that far," Dianamon said. "Oh, and before I forget, when I was dragging Apollomon back here, I found this note on the door addressed to you, Thomas." I took the paper from the Mega Digimon and began reading it.

_Thomas,_

_If you are reading this, then I am dead. And if I am dead, then that means either you or one of your friends must have killed me. Either way, I give to you both my congratulations and my sincerest apologies. The things I have done as of late…may not have justified what I was attempting to accomplish, but just know that, in spite of what I may have done, I fought my hardest on behalf of my beliefs. I only wished to create a better world for the Marked…and the only person who could have helped me with that was Lilithmon. Just know that I never would have wished anything that may have happened (if anything did happen) on any of you. Even now, as a Bio Hybrid, I consider you all to be my good friends, and while I know I do not deserve any forgiveness, I have only this to say; my friends, I am deeply sorry. As a token gesture, I will allow you to continue living in my villa for as long as you like or need._

_Saias_

"All right! I fucking love this place!" Statuedramon exclaimed.

"Well…if that is what he wishes, then it would be remiss of us to refuse, wouldn't it?" Apollomon asked, a sad smile appearing on his face.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to go get something to eat!" Statuedramon exclaimed, running to the kitchen.

"…Thomas…is there anything wrong?" Apollomon asked.

"…I recently learned who it was that murdered Victoria," I said. "It was Michalis. Her very own son killed her…and her unborn child…"

"Is he still alive?" Dianamon asked.

"Yes; so are Adrian and Sephyrus," I said. "I just…I couldn't bring myself to kill him, or any of them for that matter. I didn't want become…someone like him. Victoria taught me that blood leads only to blood, and violence begets violence. Nothing more. Revenge is simply another name for murder, and there is no forgiveness for wanton murder. Any good man must always condemn it. But still, you must abide it. You must sever the chain of hatred for once and for all, because if we allow hatred and fear to prevail, the world will be swallowed by them. If ultimate understanding can be reached, then we may still have a chance to be saved from ourselves."

"Looks like you learned more than swordplay from her after all," Apollomon said.

"Of course; it was because of her that I discovered there actually _are_ good people in the world, and not…just thieves and murderers."

Apollomon smiled. "You were lucky to have met her."

"I'm not sure if it was luck," I said. "She had lost a son…I had lost a mother, negligent and uncaring though she may have been…It seems as though we were destined to meet."

"Well now, I suppose if you put it _that_ way…"

"Apollomon…I have another question for you," I said. "Do you know…what a Horcrux is?"

"…Why do you want to know?" I pulled up the necklace that still hung around my neck.

"Lilithmon said that this necklace was a Horcrux. I don't know what that means, but I do know that it saved me from dying."

"From dying? How is that possible?" Dianamon asked. "It's just a…small pendant!"

"I was stabbed in the chest by a shape-shifter who had turned into Omnimon. This necklace lit up, and the stab wound disappeared."

"…Horcrux…another word I never thought I would hear," Apollomon said. "I will…tell you what they are later. I'm not sure when…but right now, I must rest…"

"We should probably rest too, Thomas," Zelda said.

"Yes; everything we all went through would tire out anyone," I said. The two of us left Dianamon and Apollomon and started going upstairs.

"…Um…is it…is it alright if I tell you something else?" she asked as the two of us arrived upstairs. "I said it in Mandala….but I'd like to say it again properly…if it's okay with you…"

"Of course." She looked at me nervously, so I smiled at her, hoping to put her mind at ease.

"I…I…I love you." The last two words just barely came out of her mouth. "I've…had a crush on you…since I've joined…You've just always been so kind to me…you're so brave, and strong, and…my goodness, you're just so handsome…I…I'm starting to feel a bit faint…" I placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay," I whispered. I felt the same. The nervousness was making me feel dizzy…and happy.

"Oh, Thomas, I'm so sorry; I didn't mean—"

I placed my arms around her. "Zelda, you know I love you, too. I'd have told you sooner…but…I was afraid…afraid that you'd say no…" Zelda looked up at me, teary-eyed and smiling.

"…I never thought…I would find someone who cares about me…like you," she whispered. "I feel…so much less alone now…Thomas…"

"I'm sorry I took so long," I said. "I promise…I'll do everything in my power to keep you from feeling alone, or sad…ever again." The two of us headed for our bedrooms, and as we did, Zelda gave me a quick kiss on the lips that made my heart soar.

* * *

**IceDevimon**

I smiled to myself as I flew into a hidden cave in the Black Rose Mountains. _It's been a while since I've been back here…always great to get back home again._ I looked around the dimly lit, musty cave and sighed happily; everything was encased in ice…as it should be.

"Welcome back, my lord," a voice from the entrance of the cave echoed.

"Asuramon…it's good to see you again," I said as the Ultimate Digimon approached me. "How have you been?"

"Things have been going rather slowly since you've left," Asuramon said. "Parrotmon and I have been required to do everything by ourselves ever since you were nearly killed, and Luna left us."

"So…were you able to discover anything?"

"No, sir; we were unable to find the locations of any of the Horcruxes."

"Is that so…well, don't worry about it; Lilithmon isn't an idiot. She wouldn't have hid the other Horcruxes in a place where they could be easily found. For now, let's just wait for Parrotmon to return, and we can figure out what to do from there."

"Yes, my lord."

"Also…have you heard anything from Zudomon?"

"Not for a while, my lord. We've heard rumors of a Horcrux up in Nymphaea Province; when Zudomon heard the rumor a few months ago, he set off for the province immediately. I expect he's searching hard for the Horcrux."

"Yes…he's always been a diligent one," I murmured. "I suppose he should be arriving back any day now…"

"I should hope so, my lord. Even for a Digimon like him who's accustomed to the cold, a place like Nymphaea can be lethal."


	52. Beneath a New Light

_You have finished the first half of my story. Unless, of course, you decided to skip it and jump all the way to this part, in which case, I implore you to stop being an impatient little sod and read the first half. If you have, in fact, read the first half _—_ good. The previous statement does not apply to you._

_This half of the story takes place one year after the events of the previous one. As you may remember from the previous story, Lilithmon was ultimately slain in battle. She vowed she would return _— _and return, she did. Only this time…the evil she would continue to spread would magnify itself to be untold thousands of times worse than before. This time, when freed from the Dark Area…she brought its darkness with her. Be prepared for the worst as you read on._

_There has been little to no change to Lachesis since the story left off. They all work hard under Apollomon's rule, working to undo the mistakes of the Valencian knights, and to rid the world of the Thanatos Bandits. Unfortunately, they haven't been able to rebuild their old fortress from when it was destroyed by Flamedramon…however, as Saias has allowed them to live in his villa, that hasn't proved to be too insurmountable an obstacle. Following Saias's death, it was discovered that the warrants for the arrest of everyone in Lachesis had been rendered null and void, and everyone had been able to roam the streets of Yew freely, without worry of being taken away by a knight. _

_Flamedramon hadn't been spotted since he was last seen with the members of Lachesis in Mandala City. Nobody seemed to know where he went off to. Abigail, too, had seemingly vanished; apparently, she had promised to accompany the others to Mandala to help them fight Lilithmon. Nobody seemed to know where Irene had gone, either. Whether some of them would admit it or not, I know the members of Lachesis consider those two to be trusted and invaluable friends…friends worth dying for…and friends worth living for._

_Apollomon still hasn't fully recovered from the wound inflicted by Lector. He can still move, but in a fight…he does not appear to be able to do as well as anyone might hope he could._

_Zelda, understandably, had taken the news of her sister's death pretty hard…and though each day, she would bless us all with the sight of her beautiful smile, every now and then, Thomas would find her alone, crying. She and Thomas are now lovers._

_At this point in time, Apollomon still hadn't told anyone what a Horcrux is…all Thomas knows is that his necklace is one, and that it saved him from death. Apollomon promised he would tell Thomas, but it would not be until much later until he would divulge that information…well, that's okay. Thomas still hadn't told him about the Digimon he had met in Yew...Seraphimon. At the time, Thomas had completely forgotten about him, with everything that had been going on…with Lilithmon's death…with his own…_

_I thank you for reading this short interlude to the latter half. Without further ado, let us continue onward to the story. Once again, this part begins with Lilithmon, once more in the Dark Area. The following takes place roughly two weeks since the death of Lilithmon._

_~Wisemon_


	53. A Chat Amongst Friends

**Lilithmon**

**The Dark Area**

"That damned Thomas! Just because he and that stupid lizard managed to defeat me doesn't make them stronger than me! They'd better not be thinking that up there!" I pouted, sitting cross-legged on one of the many floating rocks of the Dark Area. Even after two-hundred years, it looked exactly the same as it had the last time I saw it; a dull orange surrounding, a myriad of floating rocks, and completely bone dry. "Well, no matter; I think it's been long enough. I'll just go see DeathPhantomon so I can—"

"So you can…_what_, Lilly?!" A loud, almost mechanical voice said from behind me. Turning around, my mouth gaped in horror as I saw Machinedramon standing behind me. "You're here with US now, and you must deal with the consequences of your actions!"

_Oh, no…they've found me!_

"Indeed," another voice said from behind me, and this time when I turned around, I saw a Digimon emerge from another rock, tunneling his way from the bottom. He was a tall, skeletal Digimon, carrying a two-bladed sword. "It's time to begin your eternal torment!" SkullCaliphmon laughed.

"Eternal torment? Whatever for? What have I done?!" I asked, a look of fear and confusion I could see spreading across my beautiful face in the reflection of Machinedramon's armor.

"Have you forgotten your promise so soon, Lilly dear?" another Digimon said, hovering slowly down from a rock further up to look me in the eye. He was a heavily armored knight that towered over me and even SkullCaliphmon. "You promised you would find a way to free us from the Dark Area. Instead, you chose to spend your time looking for meaningless quintessence and make a pitiful attempt for ruling Arcadia," Generalmon said, his enormous axe instantly materializing in his hands. As I looked at my closest, and only, friends, I noticed tears began to well up in my eyes. Another rock floated past, but a large Digimon struck it, shattering it into thousands of pieces.

"You've betrayed all ten of us, Lilithmon!" Hydramon said. "You've left us all here to suffer in this bone dry pit!"

"All those centuries we've waited for you to free us, while _you_ were out having fun! Have you any idea how long we've waited for you to help us?!" Horusmon said, emitting a piercing shriek similar to that of a falcon as he soared through the air past me.

"We have been here for 200 years," Lucemon said, hovering silently behind me, his legs crossed and his eyes closed. "That is precisely 73,000 days, 1,752,000 hours, 105,120,000 seconds..."

"And not once…during any of those wasted seconds have you even _attempted_ to free us!" Belphemon said, his booming voice making even the air quake.

"My friends...please, listen to me! I was searching for the quintessence so that I would be able to free you!" I protested, backing away from my angered friends. "It's not _my_ fault that the door to the Dark Area requires so much quintessence to open up!" As I continued to back away, I soon backed into yet another Digimon. "Myotismon! You believe me, don't you? Come on...tell the others that I needed all of that quintessence to open the door to the Dark Area." Myotismon continued to look down at me, his stern facial expression not changing. "Myotismon...please...tell them—"

"Enough of your excuses, wench!" Myotismon said angrily, slapping me across the face. "You desired all that quintessence for you alone. Crimson Lightning!" Myotismon's attack struck me across the chest, bringing me to my knees.

"Now THIS is a good look for you, Lilithmon; you ought to bow down to your superiors more often," Lupinemon growled, slowly approaching me as I quickly got back up to my feet. I began backing away once again until Lupinemon cornered me against a rock.

"Please...I _can_ free you...please, just give me another chance..." I sobbed, tears sliding down my face as a large Digimon carrying a scythe hovered up to me. "DeathPhantomon...you were the one who freed me last time...you can do it again...can't you?" Though DeathPhantomon's single, glowing red eye appeared glued to my large breasts, a long, slightly misshapen black tongue — at least, I hoped it was a tongue — came from underneath DeathPhantomon's hood and lapped up the tears sliding down my face.

"Ahh, the sweet taste of fear," DeathPhantomon said with a sigh. "Thy face is _slathered_ in it!"

"Those are _tears_, DeathPhantomon," Lupinemon said in an annoyed growl.

"Honestly, must you overdramatize _everything_ you say?" Horusmon asked.

"And do you need to be so…_creepy _about everything? You're even creepier than Lucemon over there!" SkullCaliphmon said. "And that is _one_ creepy little shit, lemme tell ya!'"

"Lucemon chooses to ignore this statement," Lucemon said, his voice as hollow and monotone as ever.

"How…do you know all of this?!" I asked. "You've been here for two hundred years…how could you possibly know what I've been doing?!"

"My crystal sphere," DeathPhantomon cackled with glee as he pointed to the necklace around his neck. "With this…I am capable of seeing every action of whomever I wish!"

"I'm sick of all this talking!" Belphemon roared. "We should just kill her now and get it over with!"

"Wait, please! I can still help you! I can still get you out of here!" I pleaded. "Please…just give me another chance!"

"…Give us one good reason why we should _not_ kill you," Myotismon said.

"Other than the fact that we can't die since we're _here_, of all places," Hydramon mumbled, looking around the barren Dark Area.

"Because…I'm the only one who can get you out," I said.

"Don't _even_ try to kiss up to us with _that_ old excuse, Lilly," Lupinemon said.

"Yeah; who's to say you really _would_ free us even if we _did_ let you out?" SkullCaliphmon asked.

"…Because this time, I know you're all watching me," I said. "Also…I found one of your Horcruxes before I was killed. All I need to do is get my hands on it, and I can free one of you! After that, I can work towards freeing the rest of you! _If_ you so deem it."

"…Very well, Lilly. You have earned yourself that second chance," Myotismon said.

"Tell me, Lilithmon; can you be trusted?" Machinedramon asked.

"Of COURSE she can't!" Belphemon said.

"And yet…if we desire our freedom, we have no other option," SkullCaliphmon said.

"But all an eternity to punish her should she again deceive us," Generalmon said to the skeletal Digimon. My legs began to tremble as I began to break out in a nervous sweat, and I could hear my stomach whine and growl with a queasy unease.

"Well, I'm convinced," DeathPhantomon said. "Whether I get freed from this _wonderful_ place…or I am able to punish Lilithmon and stay here…it makes no difference to me! I would be happy with either outcome! Spirit Influx!" The eyes on the skull adorning DeathPhantomon's scythe shined a bright crimson red, enveloping me in their light until I, once more, became a spirit, floating weightless through the dry air. All eyes were on me as I slowly lifted up.

"Lilithmon…you do remember where our Horcruxes are hidden…do you not?" Myotismon asked.

"O—Of course I do," I laughed nervously. Myotismon rolled his eyes. "Don't worry; in no time at all, you'll _all_ be free from the Dark Area, and we'll all be able to continue where we left off five hundred years ago!"

* * *

**Sephyrus**

**The Savage Prairie**

**Elphierr Territory**

"Thank you all for coming here today, my friends," I said. The four of us sat atop rocks dotting the prairie's landscape. The hot sun was high in the sky, and the melodic sound of a Biyomon chirping could be heard in the distance.

"What is this all about?" Michalis asked.

"This better be important," Adrian said. "It doesn't have anything to do with quintessence, does it?!"

"I have been coming here every day for the week," I said. "It is at this spot that I first met Lilithmon…two hundred years ago."

"…Two…hundred? But…you don't look that old," Irene said. I laughed.

"No, my dear; it is the quintessence the two of us have found over the years that has kept me looking the same age I was when I first met Lilithmon. It can grant an eternal life…remember?"

"Is immortality the only thing quintessence is capable of?" Adrian asked. "If it is…that'd be pretty boring…"

"No. It is capable of changing one's appearance, for starters."

"That's…that's how Lilithmon killed my mother," Irene said.

"In addition to changing one's appearance and extending one's lifespan, it is how we were all able to become Bio Hybrids."

"You mean, it can merge a Human with a Digimon?" Michalis asked.

"Correct; it is also capable of fusing two Digimon together through the process of D.N.A. Digivolution."

"…So, what do you think would happen if you fused two Humans together?" Adrian asked.

"Both would die. Believe me; I've—"

"Sephyrus, as…_interesting_ as I find all of this, you still have not told us why you needed us all to come here today," Michalis said. "You told us this was where you first met my mother when she had just left the Dark Area; that I get. But why did you need the three of us here?"

_He still thinks of Lilithmon as his mother…This could prove to be beneficial…_

"Yeah! If Lilithmon was trapped in the Dark Area for three hundred years before freeing herself, who's to say she wouldn't stay there for _another_ three hundred?" Adrian asked.

"Because…after I introduced her to the concept of quintessence…she told me something," I said. "She told me that she had friends in the Dark Area…ten of them. They are ten of the strongest and most evil Digimon to ever walk on Arcadia. She told me that they were waiting for her to free them…for her to find their Horcruxes. Now, since she's been doing everything _but_ that for the last two hundred years, I would imagine those Digimon would be a tad miffed about her ignoring them."

"…And that's why you've been coming here," Michalis said. "This is where she appeared the last time she left the Dark Area…you figured it would only be a matter of time before she would be released again, lest she face the wrath and scorn of those Digimon."

"Correct."

"So, if she doesn't show herself today…us coming here would prove to be a waste of time."

"It's been two weeks since she was killed; surely, she'll be surfacing any day now."

"How…how did it happen?" Irene asked. "Did she just…come out of the ground? Or, did she—" Irene was interrupted by an abrupt, raging tempest that had quickly and unexpectedly rose up from the ground. The generated wind was quite strong; it was almost strong enough to move the rocks we sat on. I quickly grabbed hold of Irene out of fear that she would be blown away.

"What the hell's going on?!" Adrian asked.

"This is it! She's coming!" I excitedly looked at the violently shaking grass; it almost seemed as though the sky darkened in color as clouds raced across it. A bright but pale blue ring of light instantly materialized in the middle of all of this. My grin widened as I saw the top of Lilithmon's head pop up from the center of the ring. This vast feeling of happiness and excitement I felt only increased as the form of her phantasmal, translucent, and ghostly spirit came into view. "My lady…it is with warmest tidings that I bid you welcome to this plane of existence once more."

"Oh…how charming it is to see you all again," Lilithmon said, an evil and beautiful smile forming on her pale ruby lips. "You actually came here to meet with me again, Sephyrus? How _romantic_…"


	54. In the Flesh

**Sephyrus**

**The Savage Prairie**

**Elphierr Territory**

"Sephyrus, you actually remembered where I would show up…How…_romantic_," Lilithmon said. Her ghostly form stood tall and loomed above us; she gave off a pale blue glow, and could partially be seen through.

"How could I forget? It was the first time I had ever laid eyes upon anything as breathtakingly beautiful as you," I whispered. "And it was then…when we first met…when we decided to gather quintessence. My lady…would you consider joining us once more? We need your guidance."

"Yes…well…as tempting as gathering quintessence with you again sounds, I'm afraid I must decline. I have…_other_ matters to attend to. I'm afraid I don't have the luxury of finding any more. Now, I must hurry and find a body for my spirit before—"

"Hey, Lilithmon!" Adrian walked up to the Mega level Digimon. His brow was furrowed, and his eyes were but angry slits, like those of a Sandiramon. "If you're not going to look for quintessence anymore, then give me what you promised me for helping you! I worked my ass off for four years! The least you could do in return is give me what I asked for!"

"…What did I promise _you_? Oh…the Spirits of the Legendary Warriors," Lilithmon sighed. My heart skipped a beat when she did. She was only a spirit, but her voice sounded the same as it did a year ago, and every time I heard her voice, my heart raced. "Honestly, Adrian; did you expect a story as ridiculous as _that_ could ever be true? That story was only a myth, Adrian; the Legendary Warriors, the Spirits…they were _never_ real."

"What?! I…I've been working my ass off, risking my life, for NOTHING?!" Nobody noticed the faintest of smiles on my lips. I, of course, knew that Lilithmon had been lying to Adrian all along, as she had been doing to Irene, and all of the other Bio Hybrids. I simply counted myself among the lucky for not desiring anything for loyally serving the beauteous Lilithmon.

"It certainly seems that way, doesn't it?" Lilithmon's pale ruby lips twisted into a wry smile. Her ebon robes fluttered in a passing breeze.

"You've gotta be kidding me!"

"I'm afraid not; now, step aside."

"Oh, no; don't think I'm going to let you get away so easily!" Adrian pulled his Bio Link Digivice from his pocket, placing the palm of his hand over it. "Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioArbormon!"

"…Are you making an attempt to intimidate me, Adrian?" Lilithmon asked, a bored look forming on her ghostly face. "In case you've forgotten what Sephyrus told you…I'm a ghost. I have no physical form. You are _incapable_ of hurting me. However, if you insist on fighting me, allow me to find a body worthy of me, first." Lilithmon turned her back to the Bio Hybrid. She began smiling once again. "You may not have to wait long…I believe I have found…the perfect vessel for my spirit!" Lilithmon raised a translucent right arm, and pointed at Irene. "Irene…you'll do. They don't come more endearing than you." With a scared look on her face, Irene cowered behind me, tightly gripping the sleeve of my robe.

"Do not resist, child; it will be less painful for you," I said.

"No…please…"

I grabbed Irene's arm and hoisted her effortlessly up off the ground. "She's all yours, Milady."

Michalis and even BioArbormon looked on with looks of fright and shock on their normally dour faces as Lilithmon's spirit dove into Irene. The young girl shrieked an ear-splitting cry for my help. In the blink of an eye, Lilithmon's ghostly form was nowhere to be seen, and I dropped Irene into the grass just as she coughed up a small puddle of blood.

"Irene? Are…you okay?" Michalis asked nervously.

"Irene…is no longer with us. I…am in control!" Lilithmon began laughing maniacally and uncontrollably, though this only resulted in her coughing up more blood. "Damn it…can't…control…" Lilithmon lifted up one of Irene's arms just as one of her fingers fell clean off. Veins began bulging out everywhere, and many areas of her skin ripped open at random and began surging and oozing with blood. Her small dress became ripped and tattered in some areas.

"Mother…what's happening?!" Michalis asked.

"My lady, what is going wrong?!" I asked. Lilithmon slowly turned her head to me, and I could see that Irene's eyes had widened considerably in pain. She was breathing heavily, and clenching her fists as hard as she was able to.

"She's…struggling…too powerful…need more…quintessence…" she then turned to look at Michalis, and pointed at him. "You…kill…Adrian…Give me…his…quintessence…"

"Understood," Michalis nodded. "Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioBeelzemon!" BioBeelzemon unholstered his shotguns and pointed them at BioArbormon's head. "Sorry I've got to do this to you…just taking care of business. You understand."

"How can you still work for her, Michalis?! For all you know, she may not give you what she promised you!" BioArbormon said. "She's not even your mother! Your mother was the woman you murdered! Don't let her trick you like this! You're smarter than that, right?"

"I…was promised nothing. Do you know why? Because I _wanted_ nothing in return for my services…for my mother! I was turned into a Bio Hybrid unwillingly at a young age! I was taken away from my 'real' mother, and given power…more power than I could have ever dreamed of! This power I have now…it is the only thing I need. See you later…Adrian; Double Impact!" BioBeelzemon's attack hit BioArbormon in the shoulders, knocking him over onto his back. Adrian tried to get back up, but Michalis slammed his foot into the middle of his chest, pinning him to the grassy field. "Any last words before I snatch away your life force, Adrian?"

"…You haven't won yet. Don't get cocky, you little bastard," BioArbormon said. "What do you think I've been doing this week; _nothing_? No, no, no…I've been training. And you know what? I've learned your special trick, Michalis."

"No…you mean—"

"Roundhouse Punt!" BioArbormon punched BioBeelzemon in the face with enough force to knock the taller Bio Hybrid off his feet. Adrian then stood back up just as he began to glow with the light of Digivolution. "BioArbormon Digivolve to, BioPetaldramon!"

"So…you _are_ capable, after all," BioBeelzemon said. A wily grin formed on his face, and he said, "Good…this _might_ actually prove to be a _challenge_! And you know how I hate being bored!"

"Thorn Jab!" BioPetaldramon thrust his tail into the ground. Thorny vines burst from the earth around the shorter BioBeelzemon which held him in place. "Leaf Cyclone!" BioPetaldramon released a maelstrom of leaves from his nostrils, many of which ripped through BioBeelzemon's clothes and tore through his skin.

"Hurry…up…" Lilithmon wheezed. Irene's petite body had become completely covered in her own blood, and her clothes completely soaked.

"You ain't goin' anywhere!" BioPetaldramon yelled.

"Well, this has been fun, Adrian," BioBeelzemon said. The expression on his face was as calm as ever. "But now…it's time to say goodbye."

"You got that right, kid! So long!" To BioPetaldramon's surprise, the ensnared Bio Hybrid broke his right arm free of the thorny vines and snapped his fingers, summoning forth a huge, cannon-like blaster that became integrated to his free arm.

"Corona Blaster!" The weapon on BioBeelzemon's arm fired a destructive wave of bright fuchsia-colored energy at the larger Bio Hybrid, who roared and screamed loudly enough to shake the air itself.

"Damn it…yesterday's ally…is today's enemy," BioPetaldramon muttered as he became completely enveloped in the light of BioBeelzemon's attack.

"Excellent…Job well done, Michalis," I said. BioPetaldramon's body vanished, leaving Adrian's horribly burned and very dead body behind.

"Quintessence…Give me…his quintessence…ALL OF IT!" Lilithmon was now gasping for air; her skin had become pale and glistening with sweat and blood, making her appear almost translucent. She began dragging herself through the grass toward Adrian's motionless and unbreathing body.

"Of course, my lady; sit tight for just a moment," I said. She finally managed to drag her way all the way over to Adrian's body and wrapped her small hand around one of his legs just before passing out.

"She's not dead, is she?!" Michalis asked. "My…mother…"

"No, but she will be if I don't hurry."

* * *

**Lilithmon**

**10 Minutes**

Before, there was only darkness around me. Now, I stood tall, flesh and bone once more. I was soaked in blood, but I didn't care; I was just thrilled to be back again.

"My lady…it seems I was successful," Sephyrus said, kneeling before me.

"Is it always this…_bloody_, mother?" Michalis asked, grimacing and looking away from me and the corpse of Irene that lay at my feet.

"Yes, it is, my son," I said, looking at Irene. She had become a disfigured mess of blood, and had a vertical split down the front of her body from which I had emerged, thus explaining the blood that had me completely drenched. Her face was permanently contorted with the agony I had felt mere moments before I had blacked out. "The only other time I did this…it wasn't so difficult. The woman whose body I took over, she offered no resistance. Irene, I suppose, struggled so much because she had the life force of a Human and a Digimon within her. With the life force of two in that tiny body, I guess she just couldn't handle a third."

"Irene was quite strong to begin with, milady," Sephyrus said. "Michalis…are you uncomfortable with the sight of blood?"

"Well, no, but…you can see her insides and everything…"

"This coming from the young man who stabbed his pregnant mother to death?" I asked, partially amused.

"_And_ his father," Sephyrus added. Michalis turned away.

"Victoria…was _not_…my mother," he said in a darkened tone of voice. "Lilithmon…_you_ are my mother." Lilithmon gave the young Bio Hybrid a kind smile.

"Well, Milady? You still have the two of us at your service. What will you have us do?" I turned to face the two of them, but mainly looked at Sephyrus.

"Do you remember…the day I died?" I asked. "You stabbed Thomas, but he didn't die…because of his necklace. That necklace…it is a Horcrux. I need it. I need the other nine just like it."

"So…you want us to break into that villa where they all live and steal that necklace?" Michalis asked.

"If you would be so kind."

"It shall be as Milady wishes," Sephyrus said.


	55. The Body in the Burlap

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Mandrake Town**

**24 Hours**

The Thanatos Bandits are different from other organization of bandits. For one, they're a great deal more intelligent — some of them could even read — and very, well, organized. That, I'm sure, is what makes them more dangerous to fight than other bandit groups; they know how to read any sort of terrain well, and can — and will — cleverly plan out their formations on the spot as soon as they are faced with one from our group or, more uncommonly, a squad of Valencian Knights. They were also stronger than most other bandits, as banditry, to the Thanatos Bandits, is a way of life more than it is to other groups, and when they are not burning down settlements or killing innocent people, they would train day and night to strengthen their bodies. They were also more inclined to rape than other groups. The very sight of them made me feel ill — not because fighting them could be considered a challenge — but because they all reminded me of Clive. The two Human men whispering to each other also bore a striking resemblance to him in terms of the same glint of perversion in their eyes, and the same nasty grins. They stood in front of me, completely unaware of my presence as I hid myself in the shadows of a darkened hallway of a very old palace, abandoned for ages.

_And these two are the leaders of _this_ group,_ I thought. _Once these two are taken out, the rest will fall like Flymon._ I was concealed behind a stone archway, and Statuedramon stood directly across from me on a stout, square pedestal meant for a sculpture. He stood unmoving, without so much as blinking, making him look like an actual bronze statue. The two bandits finally finished speaking to each other and began to leave. They walked past Statuedramon; a devilish grin spread on his face, and he jumped off the pedestal, aiming to ambush the bandits and attack them with his sword and…he landed face first on the floor behind the two. I rolled my eyes. The bandits heard him fall and quickly turned around.

"'Ey, dis thing ain't really a statue!" one of the bandits said.

"_That's_ good; it was freakin' me out!" the other bandit said. "It was too scary-lookin' to steal!"

"Ow! Goddess, that fucking _hurt_!" Statch exclaimed. He picked himself up off the floor and rubbed the front of his snout. Their backs were to me as they observed Statuedramon as the Rookie level Digimon began to ramble on about…something. I wasn't paying attention. I quietly drew my sword, and without making a noise, I ran across the hallway unnoticed, behind the bandits. I snuck up behind the one closer to me and clasped my hand over his mouth as I slit his throat with my sword. He was dead in an instant and hit the floor with a dull thud. His friend noticed and wheeled around to face me. I stabbed him in the chest as Statuedramon stabbed him in the lower back. He, too, hit the floor, dead, when we removed our swords. "Well, that was easy," Statch said.

"What about the bandits they commanded?" I asked.

"Already dealt with," Statch replied. "Hardly any Digimon among them; it was pretty easy."

"So, we're done here?" Statuedramon nodded.

"The people they've captured have been freed, the leaders are dead, and the other bandits completely vanquished," the Rookie said. "Sounds like we're done to _me_."

* * *

**Saias's Villa**

**4 Hours**

"Thomas, Statuedramon…welcome back," Luna said as the two of us slowly and exhaustedly strode up to the villa. The witch sat herself on one of the chairs of the villa's front porch, shaded from the bright light of the gently setting sun by the porch roof. "You weren't gone nearly as long as I _thought_ you would be."

"That's 'cause the bandits took one look at me and ran like hell!" Statuedramon boasted as he jumped onto the porch. "Seriously. Some of them actually did that."

"I thought you told me you killed them _all_," I said.

"Oh, well, I did that, too, of course. Some of them ran, though." I sighed, smiling down at the short Digimon as I reached for the front door. Luna grabbed my arm and forcefully pulled it closer to her.

"You've bled…you're bleeding…again," the witch stared at the back of my hand with a crazed look in her golden eyes.

"Yes, that does tend to happen in our particular line of work…Luna! Is that really necessary?!" I yanked my arm away just as Luna began licking up the wet blood that had stained it.

"Oh…oh, I'm sorry!" Luna's face immediately flushed bright red once she had realized what she had done. "Sorry…I just…I saw all that blood, and…well, when I see blood, I just lose control of myself…"

"What else is new?" Statuedramon asked sarcastically. "There's not even that much; just a small trickle…"

"Ooh, but now that I've tasted it, my stomach hungers for _more_!" Luna's eyes were glued to the blood on my hand and running down my arm. She made another attempt to grab my arm, but I had moved too far away from her for her to reach me.

"Yes…well, you enjoy yourself," I said. "Statch and I are going to get something to eat. Feel free to join us if you begin hungering for food instead of blood." I opened the villa's front door and was greeted by Zelda when Statch, Luna, and I walked inside. Smiling sweetly, she kissed me on the lips once I had closed the door behind me.

"I'm glad you're back; I missed you," she said. "I'm sorry I couldn't have gone with you…"

"It's not your fault; it was Apollomon's idea," I said. "He said it was a good idea for the two of us to not go together when we're out on jobs. He said if whoever we fight discovers we're together, they'd be able to use that to their advantage by holding one of us hostage…or something to that effect."

"A load of crap is what it is! The two of you can take care of yourselves!" Statuedramon said. "Also, I'm always there with you! When I'm around, nothing bad like that will ever happen! Does he really think I'd _let_ something happen to you kids?!"

"Or maybe he doesn't want you two to get _distracted_," Luna suggested. "If you know what I mean."

"Yes, well, all the same, I agree with Apollomon to a certain point. Zelda, I love you, and I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you, but I seriously think Apollomon might be overestimating the mental capabilities of some of the bandits we fight."

"And that's assuming some of them even _have_ mental capabilities," Statch added. "Hey, you still have that necklace Zelda gave you, right?"

"Of course I do." I reached into my coat pocket and pulled out the necklace that had once saved me from death. "I keep it in there so it won't break."

"If one of you was to be kidnapped by some bandits and held hostage or something, and the one that was being held hostage was wearing the necklace, then wouldn't that ruin their plans?"

"I suppose it might…"

"Statuedramon, what if the one that _isn't_ wearing the necklace got kidnapped?" Luna asked. "They'd have an easily killable hostage, and then nothing would be accomplished."

"Who would kill a hostage?! That's just plain wasteful!" Luna and Statuedramon began arguing. Zelda sighed and walked closer to me. As I continued staring down at the necklace, I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. I turned but saw nobody.

"What's wrong?" Zelda asked.

"I thought I saw…never mind. It's nothing to worry about." I was staring down at the beautiful gemstone in the center of the necklace when, without warning, an unseen force struck me in the head from behind, and I fell to the floor in a daze.

"Thomas! Are you okay?!" I heard Zelda ask. I was only half conscious, so it just as easily could have been anyone else. The room was spinning and my head was pounding, but when I reached up, I couldn't feel any physical wound. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Hey, where'd the necklace go?!" Statuedramon asked. I looked into my hand and gasped; the necklace was nowhere to be seen. A knock on the door broke the silence. Hesitantly, Statuedramon opened the door.

"Nice to see you again, lizard."

"…BioBeelzemon…" Statuedramon began slowly backing away from the open door. The Bio Hybrid followed him, holding a shotgun aimed right at Statch's face.

"Sorry…but you won't be needing this little trinket anymore," BioBeelzemon grinned. Sephyrus suddenly appeared out of nowhere behind him, holding the necklace securely in one hand and a burlap sack in the other.

"I apologize that it had to come to this," Sephyrus said. He carefully slid the necklace inside one of his robe's pockets. "However, our lady is in dire need of this." Sephyrus's words pulled me out of my dazed stupor. With a small effort, I forced myself to stand up. "We do not have any explicit orders to bring any of you to harm, so I implore that you do not force us to do anything drastic."

"Your lady…you mean…Lilithmon?" Statch looked up in horror at the two taller men. "But…Thomas killed her a year ago, didn't he?"

"That's right; but she's _back_!" BioBeelzemon grinned down condescendingly at the shorter Digimon. Statuedramon glared at the two Bio Hybrids.

"…Give that necklace back," he said through clenched teeth. "Zelda gave that to Thomas…It's really important to him…"

"I have already explained that we are unable to do so," Sephyrus said sadly. "However… The two of us are far from ungrateful; we'll be more than happy to trade you something. We'll let you have _this_ in return for the necklace." The priest tossed us a brown, burlap sack, which landed in the villa on the floor with a thud, indicating the presence of something solid inside. "If that is all, we'll be taking our leave of you for now." The two Bio Hybrids turned their backs to us and began walking away.

"Get back here, damn it!" Statch began running after the two.

"Don't tell us what to do; Double Impact!" BioBeelzemon pulled out his guns and shot Statuedramon in the knees, making him fall helplessly to the ground. The two were soon out of sight, all of us alone at the front door with the sack Sephyrus had tossed to us.

"Statuedramon, are you okay?!" Zelda asked, kneeling down beside him. Shaking her head, Luna closed the door.

"Yeah…I'll be okay…I've been hit by worse than this," he smiled weakly. "I might need one of Luna's potions, though…So, Thomas, what's in the sack?"

_Why do I have the feeling that there's something alive in here?_ I knelt down and slowly opened the mouth of the sack. _Or dead, from the smell of it…_

"What's going on? What happened out here?!" Apollomon and Chrysania came running downstairs. "Are you all okay?"

"Well, I got shot in the knees, but otherwise, I'm fine," Statuedramon said. "Also, two of those Bio Hybrids showed up and stole the necklace Lilithmon said was a Horcrux, but we got a _sack_ in return for it."

"The Bio Hybrids?! _They_ were here?!"

"Yeah, they said something about Lilithmon being back. So, Thomas, what's in the sack?" Statch asked once more. I didn't answer — well, it was more like I couldn't answer. My eyes were completely transfixed on the contents of the sack. Nausea, dread, confusion…so many emotions and feelings were occurring all at once. I felt myself grow dizzy as tears began to well up in my eyes. "Thomas? What's wrong, buddy? What's in there?" I heard Apollomon's heavy footsteps as the tall Mega Digimon walked up to me. "Thomas?" Apollomon opened the mouth of the sack wider, and gasped.

"…Irene…" Zelda's face went completely colorless. Chrysania gave a chilling scream and Luna broke down in tears when they saw Irene's mutilated corpse, thoroughly soaked in blood. Statuedramon slowly backed away from the sack. I couldn't move; I couldn't think. In all my years fighting bandits, I had never once seen a body this badly damaged; she had bled from practically every area of her body; her dress had been torn to shreds; her face was eternally frozen in wide-eyed, painful agony; there was a huge vertical split running down the front of her body. After a few minutes of gazing wistfully and silently at Irene, Apollomon finally knelt down and closed the mouth of the sack, tightly clenching his fist around it.

"I'll…I'll take care of it…" Apollomon gently picked up the sack containing Irene's body and as he slowly walked outside, presumably to the villa's backyard, I could hear him quietly choking back a sob.

"Thomas…is she…is Irene… really dead?" Statuedramon asked quietly. I nodded grimly. Luna had taken Chrysania upstairs, but I could still hear her crying hysterically. "Damn it, it was those two bastards who did it, wasn't it?! How could they do something so horrible like that to such a sweet little girl?!"

"She didn't…suffer…did she? Thomas? Did it…look like…she suffered?" Zelda asked tearfully.

"No…please…don't make me remember it," I said in a barely audible whisper. I tried to stand back up, but my legs were shaking too fiercely; I had to sit back down. Zelda sat down next to me and placed her arm around my shoulders. For a few moments, we sat together like that until Apollomon came back inside.

"Thomas…we're going after them," he said. His hands, arms, and chest were smeared with blood that I could only assume was Irene's. "We're going to find those two…and the two of us are going to make them _pay_."

"Just the two of you?! By _yourselves_?! What about me?!" Statuedramon asked. "Those bastards killed Irene; I wanna hurt them, too!" Apollomon sighed. He fiddled with the blood-stained bandaged that were still wrapped around his torso, a nervous habit of his I noticed not long after his fight against Lector.

"You…are injured, Statuedramon. Zelda…take him up to Luna's room so she can heal his legs."

"Apollomon…do you know where they went?" I asked.

"They took your necklace, didn't they?" Apollomon asked. "That means they're headed for Cyprus Desert."

"Apollomon, that makes no sense," Statuedramon said. "At all."

"I don't have time to explain! We need to go! Now!" Apollomon grabbed one of my arms and hoisted me to my feet, and the two of us began running as fast as we could. "Zelda; you make sure to take Statch to Luna, okay?!" A confused 'yes, sir' was all I heard from her before Apollomon and I turned around a corner, and soon, the villa vanished from my line of sight.


	56. The Skeleton King

**Sephyrus**

**Cyprus Desert**

**9 Hours**

It was nearing midnight by the time the swirling sands of Cyprus Desert came into view. It was a cloudless night, and the moon was nearly full. Lilithmon stopped walking instantly, and looked up at the sky.

"Soon…very soon, the first of my friends will be freed from the Dark Area," Lilithmon said. Her skin and clothes were still stained with Irene's blood, if one looked closely enough, though she didn't seem to be bothered by it.

"Forgive my ignorance, Mother, but how exactly are you going to free anyone from the Dark Area?" Michalis asked. "They're dead…dead, and gone forever…"

"I was sent to the Dark Area, but I came back to you, my son," Lilithmon said patiently. "You know what a Horcrux is, don't you?"

"Yeah…a little while ago, Sephyrus told me it holds a very small portion of the soul of a Human or a Digimon."

"Correct…as the one who created these Horcruxes, I am able to use the Horcrux to call forth the Digimon in the Dark Area who has their soul trapped within the Horcrux in question, but only once. Once I have brought them back, the portion of their soul that lies resting in the Horcrux will join with the remainder of the Digimon's soul, leaving me unable to bring the Digimon back again should he or she be killed — unless, of course, I make another Horcrux for them. The little details are of no concern to you, dear child…"

"Yes, ma'am…"

"Do you have any other questions before I begin?"

"…Just one…how come we had to come all the way to Cyprus Desert to free _this_ Digimon? Couldn't you have brought him back from anywhere?"

"Unfortunately, no…the Cyprus Desert was where SkullCaliphmon was killed…that is why we must be here...though I was never sure why that was a necessity for this spell. Now, if that is all the questions, I would like to begin. If anyone attempts to intervene, stop them at all costs!"

"Understood, Milady," I said.

"Yeah, sure," Michalis said.

"Very good." Lilithmon placed the necklace into the sands of Cyprus and closed her eyes. She began speaking in a quiet, mumbling voice.

"What is she saying?" Michalis whispered to me.

"It's an ancient language, one from over 500 years ago, so it's even older than I am," I replied. "I'm afraid I don't know what it is she's saying. I never took the time to learn it…"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"Oh, no…we're too late! She's already started!" Apollomon said quietly. To my surprise, there were a few trees that were a part of Lotisea Province nearby for us to hide behind. "We have to do something…before she conjures up a Digimon from the Dark Area!"

"Well, then, let's go and stop her!" I whispered back. Apollomon nodded, and the two of us stepped out from behind the trees and over to the evil Mega Digimon. Michalis and Sephyrus watched silently as we did.

"There is no way for you to emerge victorious," Sephyrus said. The calm man pulled out his gray Digivice and placed a hand over it. "Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioPremenitmon!"

"You are too late! Mother will summon forth all her friends from the Dark Area…and there's nothing you can do about it!" Michalis grabbed his Digivice, and did the same as Sephyrus. "Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioBeelzemon!"

"Fools; you mean to face the one and only Apollomon in combat?! Is it your aim to die?! Or have you forgotten that I killed BioBlackWarGreymon all by myself?!" Apollomon asked.

"…He does have a point," BioBeelzemon said.

"If you wish to back down, suit yourself," BioPremenitmon said. "I, however, fully intend to obey the orders given to me!"

"Thomas, stand back while I fight these two; that's an order! Solblaster!"

Reluctantly, I jumped back out of the way and watched the fight around me.

"Shadow Evolution; Aquarimon! Goddess Urn!" Aquarimon summoned forth a huge eruption of water from her vase that doused the flames of Apollomon's attack.

"You…you dare mock me by turning into my friend?! The friend that you murdered?! I'll fucking kill you! Phoebus…" Apollomon raised his arm and prepared to attack, but when he looked down, his arm began trembling, and his fist unclenched itself.

"Apollomon…please…don't h-hurt me," Aquarimon said, tears streaming down her face. "I'm sorry…please, don't…hate me…for what I've done…"

"…I…Irene…" Apollomon's raised arm fell limply to his side. I, too, felt taken aback at the sight of the Digimon that greatly resembled Irene.

"Darkness Claw!" BioBeelzemon rammed into the dumbstruck Apollomon, knocking him down to the ground. Apollomon tried to move, but BioBeelzemon slammed his boot on the side of the Mega's face. "You're about to get what you deserve, Apollomon! Double—"

"—And now, the ritual is complete!" Lilithmon shouted from a few feet away. "SkullCaliphmon, I call to you from the other side! Join us, and put an end to the lives of the miserable wretches who murdered the eleven of us!" The necklace began emitting a pale blue light, and the sands around it began swirling madly in the air. Lilithmon began laughing maniacally as a black hole formed under the necklace, and a skeletal arm reached up from the circle. The arm pulled its body the rest of the way out, and standing before us was a rather tall, cloaked, skeletal Digimon holding an enormous, two-bladed sword, the likes of which I have never seen.

"I am free!" the Digimon said.

"…Unbelievable…a Digimon from the Dark Area," BioBeelzemon said, his tone of voice giving away the fact that he was obviously impressed. "Mother…you really are something else, conjuring a Digimon like this…"

"I'm not just any Digimon; I'm SkullCaliphmon, an ancient king of the desert sands; lord of the desert breeze!" SkullCaliphmon said.

"'Lord of the Desert Breeze?' That doesn't sound very impressive…"

"Careful, now; even the gentlest breeze has the potential to become a raging hurricane, capable of smashing through solid rock!"

"…Whatever you say, _Your Majesty_," BioBeelzemon smirked.

"SkullCaliphmon, it is wonderful to see you again," Lilithmon said. "That is, good to see you alive, and not in the Dark Area!"

"Oh, Lilithmon, I'm always dead! I'm a skeleton, remember? By the way, I saw your…_glorious_ return from death…when you popped out of that rather cute Human girl. It was kind of icky…a little too much blood and gore for _my_ taste. I don't really like icky and creepy things," the skeleton said. "Now, remember; the two of us are not as strong as you'd like for us to be."

"What do you mean?"

"Our power comes from the lives of all twelve of us. Our _lives_, Lilithmon, and nine of us are still _not alive_. As we are now, even a Human could kill us!" SkullCaliphmon laughed to himself. "As I am _sure_ you are well aware…"

"…Right. I'll have to remember that…"

"Now, who is that that your crony steps on?" SkullCaliphmon pointed at BioBeelzemon.

"That's Apollomon," BioBeelzemon said.

"Really? _The_ Apollomon? The ruler of Lachesis? That Apollomon?" SkullCaliphmon looked down at the struggling Mega. "You, BioBeelzemon, and you, BioPremenitmon!" SkullCaliphmon looked at the two Bio Hybrids. "You two boneheads stand down! I haven't killed anyone in a few hundred years; I want to make sure I haven't lost my touch!"

"Yes, sir," BioPremenitmon, still in the form of Aquarimon, immediately turned back into Sephyrus. BioBeelzemon reverted back to his Human form without another word. In an instant, Apollomon was back on his feet, standing face-to-face with SkullCaliphmon.

"Don't be too depressed if I defeat you; I _used_ to be quite powerful," SkullCaliphmon said.

"I could say the same to you, except that I _still am_ powerful," Apollomon retorted. SkullCaliphmon whistled, looking impressed.

"Bold words, o mighty one! Let's see if you live up to your reputation, then! If you lose, you'll look like quite the bone-afied blowhard!" SkullCaliphmon began laughing to himself.

"…Your puns are terrible, as I'm certain your fighting skills are," Apollomon said. "Whatever; let's get this over with!" Apollomon clenched his fists, and SkullCaliphmon swung his blade effortlessly through the air. Instinctively, I reached for mine, but I stopped myself.

_Apollomon told me to wait here…Apollomon ordered me to wait here while he dealt with them…But there's no way he can win! He still hasn't fully recovered from when Lector stabbed him in the hip._

"Arrow of Apollo!"

"Grave Danger!" SkullCaliphmon raised his hand, with his palm upwards, and a giant tombstone emerged from the sand. Apollomon's attack hit the tombstone, which then crumbled back into sand. "Now, dance, my tombs! Dance!" SkullCaliphmon began waving his enormous sword around in the air as if it were a conductor's baton; countless tombs popped out of the sand and begun flying in the air around Apollomon. Every now and then, one of them would crash into him, shattering into a few jagged stones that would cut through his skin, and even his Phoebus Blow attack was strong enough to protect him. "Well? What do you think, mighty one? Am I strong or _what_?!"

"Solblaster!" The sphere of flames on Apollomon's back spread itself out, enveloping all of the flying tombs in their flames and making them melt. "You've picked the wrong Digimon to fight, SkullCaliphmon!"

"I was just thinking that of you, Apollomon! Crossfire Hurricane!" SkullCaliphmon began swing his sword in a circle, and Apollomon's flames followed suit. They began to form a ring of fire around Apollomon, leaving him in the middle of them. SkullCaliphmon then brought the blades of his sword down into the sand, making the flames swirl around the sky as a single stream of fire. The skeletal Digimon then pointed at Apollomon, and the flames struck Apollomon directly in the chest. "So, _now_ what do you think? That attack has absolute command over wind, and it can even be used to manipulate flames like yours! If anything, _you_ chose the wrong opponent!" Apollomon didn't reply; he was screaming in pain and agony as he was burned by his own flames. The flames soon vanished, and Apollomon was left, brought down to one knee and covered in minor burns with steam flying off his body. He glared up at the opposing Mega level, and tore his bandages off from around his waist, throwing them to the side.

_Apollomon…I'm sorry, but it looks like I'm going to have to disobey your orders again!_

"I'm not…finished yet," Apollomon said between labored breaths, as if he had read my mind.

"Well, then, by all mean; show me what else you're capable of!" SkullCaliphmon cackled.

"Phoebus Blow!"

"Sirocco Sword!" Apollomon stood up, but he was forced back down once again when SkullCaliphmon swung his sword, striking him multiple times across the face, chest, and stomach. "Even a fire Digimon like yourself can't help but scream in pain when struck with this sword, which strikes as painfully and sharply as the scorching sirocco wind, capable of reaching speeds as fast as a hurricane!" Apollomon raised a trembling arm and clenched his fist, preparing an Arrow of Apollo attack. "Sirocco Sword!" SkullCaliphmon swung his sword in the air once again, and Apollomon was knocked over onto his back by an unseen force. "See? I don't even have to make contact, and this sword can still kick some major bony ass!"

"Excellent job, SkullCaliphmon," Lilithmon said.

"What are you talking about? I'm not even _finished_ with him yet! Sirocco Sword!" SkullCaliphmon brought his enormous sword downward towards Apollomon's neck. I ran as fast as I could up to the skeletal Digimon, and sighed with relief when I saw that SkullCaliphmon's sword made contact with mine, rather than Apollomon. "You…I remember you…You were in Mandala when Lilithmon was killed for the second time! I saw you get killed, meatbag! What are you doing still walking around?" SkullCaliphmon asked.

"He was wearing the necklace," Lilithmon replied. "_Your_ Horcrux."

"My Horcrux…The Immortal Necklace…Well, I suppose that makes sense…Horcruxes infused with the soul of a Digimon gives whoever is in possession of that Horcrux any special abilities they have…I am immortal during special circumstances. I wonder if those circumstances apply to whoever wears the necklace."

"…You said you were weak enough for a Human to kill you," I said.

"Yes; the only reason Apollomon wasn't able to do so was because I was able to perfectly counter his attacks," SkullCaliphmon said. "I _am_ weaker without all twelve of us here, and perhaps even _you_ could easily kill me, Human."

"Don't be ridiculous! There's no way this…_kid_ could defeat you!" Lilithmon said.

"…We shall see," SkullCaliphmon said. The opposing Mega Digimon raised his sword and swung it at my head, barely missing it by a few inches. "Huh…this bonehead's pretty fast. I like that! Makes the hunt _that_ much more enticing! Keep running, being of flesh; make this game of cat and mouse as enjoyable as possible!"

"If it truly does take a Human to kill someone like you, then I shall do everything in my power to do so!" SkullCaliphmon threw his blade, narrowly missing my head once again. His sword kept flying through the air until it found its way into a tree of Lotisea Province several feet away.

"Damn it! Now my…frickin' sword's…stuck! This is why I hate frickin' forests!"

_Perfect! Hopefully…this will kill him!_ I ran up to the Mega Digimon and stabbed him in the side of his skull.

"…You…_boner_…" SkullCaliphmon brought his hand to the side of his head where my sword had struck, and several cracks had begun to form on his head. In a matter of seconds, his skeletal body dissolved and crumbled into dust, leaving his crown, cloak, and sword behind as his dust mixed into the sands of Cyprus Desert. Lilithmon stared, pale-faced and wide-eyed as I wiped the remnants of SkullCaliphmon off my blade.

"You…what…WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST DO?!" Lilithmon shrieked.

"You can keep trying to bring your friends back from the Dark Area all you like; you will never prevail," I said.

"That was…a job well done, Thomas," Apollomon said as I helped the Mega Digimon stand up.

"DAMN YOU BOTH!" Lilithmon ran toward us, her right claw extended.

"Solblaster!" Apollomon threw a scorching orb that hit Lilithmon in the middle of her stomach, burning through her shirt and searing her skin.

"Milady, we must retreat for now," Sephyrus said, bending down to pick up the partially buried necklace. "You cannot waste any more energy dealing with these fools."

"…Fine. We must hurry and find the next Horcrux!" Lilithmon, protectively placing her left hand over her belly to cover the relatively minor burn, turned and ran off, with Michalis and Sephyrus close behind.

"Should we go after them, sir?" I asked.

"No…you would be unable to defeat all three of them by yourself, and I would be of no help to you as I am now," Apollomon said. "Let's return to the villa…I'm sure the others are wondering where we are, and I'm certain Zelda misses you. When we get back…I'll tell you everything."


	57. The Celestial Vanguard

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**9 Hours**

"Apollomon, where have you been?!" Dianamon yelled as the two of us let ourselves in. "You still haven't fully recovered from when Lector stabbed you two weeks ago! You are in _no_ condition to be fighting like Thomas and Pheragas!"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry I made you worry," Apollomon said, weakly grinning at the female Mega Digimon.

"So, just to be clear, you _weren't_ worried about me?" I asked.

"Oh, you know I worry about you too, Thomas; but I know _you_ didn't get stabbed a while ago — well, I guess you did, but…Oh, you know what I mean! And _you_, Apollomon; you're going straight to bed!"

"I can't…not yet," Apollomon said. "There is something I must tell everyone…It is about the Horcruxes. Everyone should here this."

"…Fine. I'll gather them up," Dianamon said. "But after you tell us what it is you need to tell us, you are going straight to bed, mister!" Apollomon laughed quietly to himself, amused, as Dianamon strode off.

* * *

**Lilithmon**

**Mandala City**

"Damn it, damn it, damn it! Those _bastards!_" I paced back and forth around the empty center of the sunken city. "It wasn't enough for them to murder SkullCaliphmon, but they had to go and attack _me_?! Unforgivable!" I looked down at my bare stomach, were the shirt had been burned away by Apollomon's attack. "These burns don't look too bad, I suppose, and hopefully not _too_ noticeable…But I can't let them do it again! If the image of my beauty is wrecked by hideous burns…"

"My lady, your beauty remains intact and as flawless as ever," Sephyrus said. "There is nothing those plebeians can do to ruin your beauty in any way. In any case, our main concern should be the state of your friends."

"…You're right as always, Sephyrus," I said.

"So, are your friends going to be pissed that SkullCaliphmon got his head caved in, mother?" Michalis asked, sitting atop a destroyed marble column.

"Yeah, probably…Well, there's nothing _I_ can do about it. After all, it's not _my_ fault that Thomas killed SkullCaliphmon! They shouldn't be _too_ mad at me for something beyond my control!"

"What would you have us do, Milady?" Sephyrus asked. "If you wish it, the two of us shall continue to gather the Horcruxes you created. In your stead, if you wish."

"If your friends are going to be pissed at you, you should let _us_ get the Horcruxes for you and free them instead," Michalis said.

"…You're right," Lilithmon said. "Very well. Sephyrus…I will teach you the spell…the spell that will free my comrades from the Dark Area."

"As you wish it, my lady," Sephyrus bowed.

* * *

**Apollomon**

"So, vut is it you vished to tell us?" Pheragas asked. I took a deep breath in, and looked around. Dianamon sat right next to me, eyes constantly flickering back and forth between my eyes and my old wound. Sitting on a couch directly across from me was Luna, with Chrysania snuggled right next to her, and Pheragas standing behind them. BlackGaomon and Statuedramon sat in the middle of the floor, and Thomas and Zelda sat together on yet another couch, holding hands. All but Thomas had looks of confusion of varying degrees.

"It's about Lilithmon," I said. "She's back." Complete silence befell the room.

"Well…can't exactly say I was expecting that," BlackGaomon said.

"You were all affected by her selfish desires, so I think it is only fair that I tell you what little I know about her," I said. "First of all…Lilithmon was not born of darkness. She was born an angel Digimon named Ophanimon. However, she soon fell to darkness, becoming the evil Digimon we are all familiar with."

"Lilithmon…was an angel?" Chrysania asked. I nodded.

"I do not know the specific details of how it happened, but apparently, she was not the only angel Digimon to fall into darkness," I continued. "Another Digimon called Cherubimon, being desperately loyal to Ophanimon, fell into the darkness with her, and they both became corrupted, Fallen Angel Digimon. That was when she befriended the other ten most powerful Digimon in existence. Now, Ophanimon and Cherubimon were part of a three Digimon group known as the Celestial Digimon, along with a third Digimon called Seraphimon."

"Seraphimon?! Wait a minute; I just remembered…he was the Digimon we met in Yew, Thomas!" Statuedramon exclaimed. "Like…two or three weeks ago…and we forgot to tell Apollomon about him…"

"Yes, Seraphimon has always been a bit of a loner since those days long ago, always traveling across Arcadia. Anyway, Seraphimon, fearing the evil Lilithmon, Cherubimon, and their new friends would spread, formed a group of twelve Digimon, rivaling their number, known as the Celestial Vanguard. I…was a part of that group."

"_You_? But…didn't all of that happen over five hundred years ago?" Statuedramon asked.

"Yes, well, I _am_ over five hundred years old," I laughed. "SlashAngemon…he was also a part of that group. All twelve of us were charged with defeating one of the evil Digimon, who had formed a group known as the Order of the Enchantress. I was the only one who had failed…my mission was to try to reason with Cherubimon to bring him back from the darkness, or to destroy him…and I failed at both attempts. Seraphimon tasked himself with defeating Lilithmon, and SlashAngemon was tasked with defeating a Digimon known as SkullCaliphmon."

"…That's how you knew where to find Lilithmon when the Bio Hybrids took the necklace," Thomas said. "SlashAngemon was the one who killed him…and he told you where it happened."

"That is correct; I believe Lilithmon is now attempting to free all of her friends from the Dark Area. To do that, she needs the Horcruxes she made for them before she was killed. Also, she can only free her friends in the place they were previously killed. That is how I knew where SkullCaliphmon would be; because SlashAngemon killed him in Cyprus Desert, so I knew that was where Lilithmon would be going."

"Apollomon, what exactly is a Horcrux?" BlackGaomon asked.

"I can answer that," Luna said. "A Horcrux is an inanimate object made by a powerful magic-user that places a small portion of someone's soul — not necessarily that of the mage — into said inanimate object. If that person is killed or dies, then the mage can bring that person back to life, but only once. You see, when they come back, that little bit of their soul in the Horcrux joins back up with the rest of their soul, and afterwards, the mage can then proceed to make another Horcrux for that person if they so desire."

"That's why you didn't die when you were stabbed in the chest, Thomas," I said. "If the soul of a Digimon is infused with into a Horcrux, then whoever is in possession of the Horcrux will gain some of the abilities of that Digimon. SkullCaliphmon was apparently an immortal under special circumstances — ergo, you had that same immortality when you wore his necklace."

"So, we just need to keep killing those Digimon as soon as Lilithmon brings them back, right?" BlackGaomon asked.

"Correct; their true power comes from all twelve of them being alive at once. If all twelve of them were to walk Arcadia at once…then they would be nearly unstoppable," I said. "What makes them even more dangerous is that some of them have powers unique to them, and foreign to other Digimon of the same species. For example, among them is a Myotismon capable of using fire attacks, and legendary golden flames, at that."

"Do you know where any of the other Horcruxes are?" Thomas asked.

"…Only a few of them," I replied. "In Cyprus Valley, there is a stone containing the soul of one of those Digimon. Also, I believe that Knight Commander Saias had one as well…"

"Saias?! No way!" Statch exclaimed.

"Yes; I believe his sword may have been a Horcrux, as well. It would be best if we could retrieve them as soon as we can, because it's possible that Lilithmon knows about them as well. Pheragas, I would like for you and BlackGaomon to go to the old military base to see if you can find the sword. Thomas, I would like you, Zelda, and Statuedramon to go to Cyprus Valley to find the stone."

"Well, why not just send us to the ocean to find a specific droplet of water?" Statch asked sarcastically.

"Is there anything about the stone you could tell us that would make it easier for us to find it?" Zelda asked.

"If you hold it, you'll be capable of utilizing pyrokinetic force," I said. "And for some reason, I think it may be purple…I…don't know if that information will help you…"

"So, basically, we're looking for a purple rock that will let us use legendary flames when we hold it," Thomas said.

"If we're going to go that far south, we should hurry," Statuedramon said. "The valley is a long way away from here, and those Bio Hybrids may have already started heading in that direction."

"Right; BlackGaomon and I vill go to de military base so ve can find dat sword," Pheragas said.

"Don't follow them, Apollomon," Dianamon said to me in a stern voice as soon as Thomas and the others left the villa.

"Yes, _mother_," I said sarcastically. Dianamon rolled her eyes as she walked out of the room.

* * *

**Pheragas Danved**

**Yew**

**20 Minutes**

"I don't see how we're going to find anything buried underneath all of that rubble," BlackGaomon said. The military base where Apollomon fought Saias stood before us, a smoldering mess of debris and charcoal. Instead of deciding to rebuild this base, the knights decided to build another one in a completely different location, leaving this destroyed one alone, abandoned and untouched for the moment.

"Look on de bright side, BlackGaomon; at least dare von't be any knights to get in our vay," I said. I turned over a huge mound of burnt rubble, finding nothing but charred ashes underneath. "Dat is a good ting; dis might take a vile…"

"Do you remember what his sword looked like?"

"I tink it may have had a black handle…"

"…Do you think it would be too much to hope that the sword just got burnt up altogether, making its use as a Horcrux worthless?"

"Dat may not be a vise decision; ve should just find de sword so ve can go back to Apollomon." I began walking to another area of the base when, upon hearing the flapping of a giant pair of wings, faint, but growing more distinct as I could hear it approaching, I stopped.

"What's wrong, Pheragas?" BlackGaomon looked up at me.

"…I hear someting. Somevun is coming…By air…"

"You mean, like a flying Digimon?" I nodded. The shadow of a huge Digimon flew over us, and a barrage of flames and lightning bombarded us from the sky. "It must be the Bio Hybrids!"

"Yes, it is a good ting dey did not go aftuh dose kids," I said.

Just then a voice from above us announced, "Missing you was not an accident. If you do not hand over the Sword of the Earth's Crust, we will not miss again." Whoever spoke to us had a deep, booming voice, and it was easy to tell what he was saying despite being so high up in the sky.

"Give us a goddamned minute! We haven't even found it yet!" BlackGaomon said.

"I intend to keep it that way. Our master desires that sword to be in his possession, along with all the other Horcruxes. Leave this place now, and there's a chance you'll survive."

"No way! We won't let Lilithmon get her hands on the Horcruxes!"

"…So be it. You have sealed your fate!" More flames rained down upon us, surrounding me and BlackGaomon in a ring of fire. A flash of green was the last thing I saw as something struck me from behind, leaving me to fall unconscious from the blow and from the smoke produced by the flames.


	58. Romancing the Stone

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Cyprus Wasteland**

**One Day**

Statuedramon's mouth fell open in horror as he caught his first glimpse of Cyprus Wasteland. Scattered across the landscape were millions of rocks.

"How the fuck are we ever going to find this one rock?!" he asked. I looked at the barren landscape before us; even though it was the middle of the day, the sky was a perpetually deep orange, and it reflected upon the landscape, turning everything in sight the same color.

_Everything is exactly as it was described in every book I've read about this place…_ Statuedramon's anguish did not seem unfounded, as I continued looking around the vast wasteland. There was nothing but rocks lying on the ground as far as the eye could see. "As far as I can tell, all the rocks here look to be a normal color for rocks; I'd think a purple one would stand out."

"So…we just start looking around for a rock that _might_ be purple?"

"That's about all we can do for now," Zelda said.

* * *

**Sephyrus**

"So, what's the plan, S?" Michalis asked. His voice was filled with vigor and energy to spare, though his body looked as though he were on the verge of collapse. I certainly couldn't blame him; the heat of Cyprus Wasteland was appalling, and even worse than that of Cyprus Desert due to its lack of a strong wind.

"We wait." I looked down from the small plateau from where we hid ourselves. Thomas, Zelda, and Statuedramon were not even a mile away, but they had no idea how close we were to them.

"For how long?"

"Until they find the stone. Then, we take it from them, saving us the trouble of trying to find it. Afterwards, we can take it to Marigold Spire to the East. That was where Myotismon was brutally murdered by Beowulfmon."

"Oh…is mother already at the spire?"

"There is no need for her to travel to a place as harsh as this one," I said. "She taught me her spell; the one in the ancient language. If all goes as planned, and you are able to distract the three of them long enough if necessary, then Myotismon will be free."

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**1 Hour**

"…Thomas, are rocks edible?"

"No, Statuedramon."

"…What about the dirt? It's starting to look like chocolate powder…"

"Get the dirt out of your mouth, Statch." Even without turning around, I knew what he was doing.

"You're mean!" I heard him reluctantly spit the dirt out, though from the sound of it, it was more from disgust at the taste rather than from me telling him to.

"I'm aware of that." I grinned.

"…Man, this is taking forever! I wonder how Zelda's doing…" Statuedramon glanced over at her just as she bent down to pick something up.

"Thomas! Statuedramon! I think I found it!" Zelda walked over to me, and in her hand was a vibrantly purple rock.

"No way! That's it, all right!" Zelda handed Statuedramon the rock. The Rookie Digimon gripped it tightly, and a flare of golden flames began circling him. "All right! Let's take this back to Apollomon so he can deal with it!" Statuedramon began walking ahead of us to the desert.

"Oh, I'm so glad I did something right for a change!" Zelda said, looking very pleased with herself. "I could never do _anything_ right when I was just a little girl!"

"…Zelda…there's something that I've been meaning to ask you," I said as she handed me the Horcrux. "It's about your lack of self-esteem. Have you always been like this?"

"As far as I can remember…I have been. Because I'm one of the Marked, my mother would always yell at me and insult me, as if it were my fault she carried the mark as well. I eventually began to believe all the things she said about me — and I'm sure I will for the rest of my life — that everything is my fault, that I'm not smart, that I'm not pretty, that I—"

"Zelda, you cannot believe anything she told you about yourself that made you feel bad," I whispered. I placed her small hand in mine, and looked into her lovely eyes. "I _am_ grateful to her for bringing you into this world, but you just can't believe any of those lies. Do you believe me when I tell you how beautiful you are? Do you believe me when I tell you that I love you?"

"I…maybe? I'm not sure…" She looked up at the sky, and smiled. "…When I was younger, growing up in Adonis Village with Anna…At night…at any time during the night after my mother passed out drunk after yelling at me…I would always go outside, and look up at the sky, at the stars…they always looked so pretty to me. I often dreamed about becoming a star…I remember thinking to myself when I was five or six years old that, if I could become a pretty star, then I would be able to prove my mother wrong…"

"Zelda…you are more beautiful than any star in the sky."

"…Thomas…"

"You're the kindest person I know, Zelda. If you didn't take the time to help me, I could have lost my arm, and if you weren't smart, you wouldn't have been able to treat that wound. I love you, Zelda. I promised that I'd always be there for you, and that I wouldn't ever let you cry again. Those are promised I intend to keep."

"Thomas…I love you, too…You were the first person who was ever nice to me after I had parted ways with my sister…"

"Thomas, we've got a problem!" Statuedramon shouted, far ahead of Zelda and me. I glanced at him, seeing Michalis and Sephyrus approach him. "Stand back; I have a rock, and I'm not afraid to burn your asses with it!"

"We have come for that very stone," Sephyrus said. "Hand it over, or suffer the consequences!"

"…Think fast!" Statuedramon gripped the stone, and a stream of golden flames shot out of it at the two Bio Hybrids.

"Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioPremenitmon!" Michalis stood behind the Mega level Bio Hybrid as he took the flames emitted from the stone in the face. "Thanks for finding the stone for us; it saved us the trouble!" BioPremenitmon trudged through the flames and picked Statuedramon up by his wrist. "The stone. Hand it over."

"Let go of him!" I brandished my sword and attempted to stab BioPremenitmon's arm, but the tip of my blade bounced off his scales. Statuedramon suddenly began screaming, and I looked up to see that BioPremenitmon's grip had tightened around his wrist until Statch's fingers unraveled themselves from the stone.

"Thank you very much," Sephyrus reached up with his other hand and took the stone. "We've gotten what we came here for. Let us go, Michalis; to Marigold Spire! Shadow Evolution; Gryphonmon! Quickly, Michalis; get on!"

"You fools are too late; Myotismon _will_ be released!" Michalis laughed as he jumped onto Gryphonmon's back. "And this time, there won't be anything you can do about it!" Gryphonmon spread his massive wings and flew off, leaving the three of us behind.

"Damn it…now, we'll never catch up to them," Statuedramon said.

"No, we can still make it!" Zelda said. "Come forth, Dynasmon!"

"What is it you desire, milady?" Dynasmon asked as soon as he materialized.

"The three of us need to get to Marigold Spire as soon as possible!"

"Understood." Dynasmon bent down picked up all three of us, and in an instant, we were in the air.

* * *

**Sephyrus**

**Marigold Spire**

"It is done, Michalis!" I exclaimed. The stone lay before us, emitting a bright light just as the necklace did when SkullCaliphmon had been summoned. "Myotismon, I call to you from the other side!" A black hole formed underneath the stone, and a cape-wearing Digimon flew out.

"You are not Lilithmon; who are you?!" Myotismon asked.

"My name is Sephyrus; I have freed you on behalf of our lady, for she could not be bothered to travel to a place with a climate as severe as this," I replied. Myotismon sighed impatiently.

"Well, whatever. But what took _you_ so long?! _Surely_ my Horcrux would've been hidden in a place where it could've easily have been found!"

"I'm afraid not, Sir; your rock was buried in the sea of stones that is the Cyprus Wasteland. Furthermore, we had to allow our…rivals in the Horcrux hunt to find your stone first so it would be easier to retrieve."

"Your rivals…you refer to the people who murdered SkullCaliphmon?!"

"Yeah, those are the ones," Michalis said. "They always feel like they have to interfere with our work." As Michalis spoke, Dynasmon, the same one that had attacked me in Mandala two weeks ago, popped up behind him, carrying Thomas, Zelda, and Statuedramon. "Speaking of whom…"

"You shall interfere no longer!" Myotismon shouted. "Crimson Lightning!"


	59. Crimson Lightning and Golden Flames

**Zelda**

**Marigold Spire**

"Crimson Lightning!" Dynasmon quickly but gently placed us down on the mountain before catching Myotismon's attack with his claws before it hit us. "Who is this miscreant that dares defy me?!" Myotismon asked.

"His name is Dynasmon," Sephyrus said. "He's a Mega level Digimon, and a master of both hand-to-hand combat and combat from afar, as well as in the air."

"Master, eh? Dynasmon, _you_ may call _me_ Master!"

"I think not! Breath of Wyvern!" As Dynasmon summoned forth a gigantic dragon, Myotismon snapped his fingers. The flames of Dynasmon's attack dispersed, much to the surprise of the Digimon Spirit.

_No way! Dynasmon…is so powerful! How could Myotismon have done that?!_

"There is nothing a Digimon like _you_ can do to defeat me! Nightmare Claw!" Myotismon sent out a black, ghost-like entity that turned Dynasmon's pure white armor a faded black. The Spirit, unable to stay airborne, fell to the ground, landing on his head before vanishing. "When you take me to Lilithmon, Sephyrus, tell her to expect an earful for letting SkullCaliphmon die! I might be the strongest Digimon among the twelve of us, but I'm not as strong as I _could_ be without all twelve of us! Thanks to her, that might not _ever_ happen!"

"Duly noted," Sephyrus replied.

"And as for _you_," Myotismon turned to face us. His face was scrunched with wrath, and I felt my knees tremble as his pale blue eyes glare down at us. "Expect an even worse fate for slaying my comrade! Grisly Wing!" Without hesitation, Statch jumped out in front of us and help up his shield.

"Dimensional Shield!" Myotismon conjured up a countless number of bats, and each and every one of them found their way into Statuedramon's shield. When he swung his sword, his Sword of Dragon's Soul attack took on a black hue before it struck Myotismon, who held up his cape to protect himself.

"Crimson Lightning!" Myotismon struck Statuedramon across the face and head multiple times until the Rookie Digimon lost consciousness, with blood slowly pouring from his nose and mouth. "You two are next!"

"Zelda, get down!" Thomas ran in front of me just as Myotismon's attack struck him across the back.

"Thomas!" He fell to a knee briefly, and I ran over to him. Myotismon attacked again, and Thomas leaped back up to protect me.

"Don't worry…I'll…protect you," Thomas whispered, grinning weakly at me before Myotismon attacked him once again. His face contorted with pain each time Myotismon attacked him, and I could hear his breathing grow more and more labored with each attack. Still, he did not falter, and through each attack, he held me tightly in his strong arms.

"Thomas, please…" His breathing grew more and more labored, and he looked to be on the verge of passing out. In all my life, I had never felt as helpless as I do now, seeing the love of my life ruthlessly attacked.

"How is this Human still not dead yet?!" Myotismon asked, panting.

"This one has always been quite stubborn about clinging to life. He didn't even die when I stabbed him in the chest," Sephyrus said. I saw Myotismon's expression turn from annoyance and exhaustion to surprise.

"How many times must I attack him until he dies?!" Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the sunlight glinting off something. It was nearby, and I could easily reach it…

"It shouldn't take too much longer," Michalis said. "The back of his shirt's all torn up, and his back is bleeding like crazy!"

"Then this will be the final attack! Crimson—"

"No! Please, don't do it!" I worked my way out of Thomas's limp arms and placed myself between him and Myotismon, my arms outstretched, as Thomas collapsed to the ground. "Please, don't hurt him anymore!"

"Are you volunteering to be my first Human victim in over two hundred years?" When I didn't reply, the Ultimate Digimon shrugged. "Suit yourself."

"No…Zelda…"

_This Digimon…Please, be strong enough to protect the man I love!_ "Come forth, Gigasmon!" A tall, large-armed Digimon appeared between me and Myotismon.

"You call me?" Gigasmon asked, looking at me over his shoulder. "Me help you if you want."

"Ridiculous; you really think this grammatically-challenged imbecile can defeat me?!" Myotismon asked.

"Me not smart, but me strong!" Gigasmon cracked his knuckles.

"We shall see; Grisly Wing!"

"Quagmire Twister!" Gigasmon spun and spun, knocking away almost every bat Myotismon sicced on him while smashing all the others with his fists.

"Not bad, I suppose," Myotismon said. "But if _you_ are the best they have, then there is no hope for them to win! I will burn Arcadia to the ground as the sound of thunder resonates in the sky! And you shall be the first to be burned, Spirit!" Myotismon shrouded himself in swirling golden flames that roared as fiercely as the lightning from his Crimson Lightning attack. "This will hardly be a battle at all; simply an end!"

"You kill me, me keep coming back! Me Digimon Spirit! Me can't die! Me loyally fight for whoever summons me! Tectonic Slam!" Gigasmon leapt up high into the air, and was followed by the flames.

"Perish, flawed one!" Myotismon screamed. Gigasmon fell through Myotismon's golden flames as they soared upward into the air and surrounded him, not wincing once as they seared and burned his skin. After remaining airborne for what felt like an eternity, Gigasmon crashed down onto Myotismon, with his large hands placed around the evil Digimon's neck as they crashed into the mountain, delving deeper and deeper through it until they popped on the other side and landed on the sandy, rocky ground below. As we weren't very high up on Marigold Spire, I could easily see Myotismon's sharp fangs when he opened his mouth to scream one final time before he died.

"Me do good?!" Gigasmon hollered up at me, wearing an expectant smile on his face.

"…Yes…you did just fine, Gigasmon!" I smiled back at the Digimon Spirit, who gave me an eager thumbs-up before vanishing.

"Well…Lilithmon certainly is going to be quite upset about the loss of Myotismon," Sephyrus said calmly, and as he bent down to pick up the stone, a sword flew through the air, with its blade landing in the ground between Sephyrus's hand and the rock.

"Myotismon's soul is no longer bound to the rock…meaning it is no longer a Horcrux," Thomas said as he limped over to pick up his sword. I gasped when I saw his back; his coat and shirt were completely torn up, and he was bleeding quite badly. "And yet, there you go, taking the time to pick it up, or rather, try to. Just like the Necklace; it no longer has SkullCaliphmon's soul bound to it, and it is no longer a Horcrux, either…meaning it should be of no value to you. So why, then, do you take the time to retrieve them when they are empty of souls?" Sephyrus closed his eyes and smiled.

"You are right, Thomas. The Stone and the Necklace are no longer Horcruxes, yet it remains prudent that we keep them safe and intact for our lady."

Thomas picked up the rock and placed it in his pocket. "Might you be willing to tell us why?"

"I would, but I'm sorry to say the details remain a mystery even to me. So, go right ahead; take the stone, if you feel that you must. Alone, it will not do you any more good than it will us…and when the time comes…whenever we wish it…we could easily take it back from you. Your trials are far from over; we are already in possession of the Jewel and the Silk. Once Lilithmon is finished with them, you will have _two_ Mega Digimon to deal with in addition to Lilithmon…as well as us Bio Hybrids."

"We _will_ stop you."

"I know you will, at the very least, try," Sephyrus said. "Whether or not you are successful…It is entirely up to fate to decide who will win this. You or us. Good or evil. Light or darkness. Whichever of us the world deems to be more worthy of existing…that is who will survive."

"We will not fail in stopping you," I said. Sephyrus regarded me with interest for a moment.

"Michalis, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, let's get out of here," the younger Bio Hybrid said. Sephyrus nodded and began his descent from Marigold Spire.

"Wait!" Thomas grabbed Michalis's arm before he could follow Sephyrus. "…Lilithmon told me you were the one who murdered Victoria. Is this true?"

"…I've got no reason to deny doing it," Michalis shrugged. I saw Thomas's grip tighten around the boy's arm. Michalis grinned through the pain, and even began laughing.

"How could you do it?" Thomas asked quietly, almost inaudibly. "She was your mother! She loved you! She…she was pregnant…"

"Yeah, she mentioned all of that before it happened," Michalis said. "So? Is there something you were going to do about it? You wouldn't actually go as far as to…_kill_ me…would you?"

"…A few days ago, when I first learned what you had done, I swore to myself that I wouldn't kill you, that I wouldn't let myself fall to your level," Thomas said. "She always told me not to let anger, revenge, and hatred get the best of me, not to let them guide me. Revenge is simply another name for murder, and there is no forgiveness for wanton murder. Any good man must always condemn it. Michalis…you will be my one exception. Victoria…please forgive me…but your son cannot be allowed to live…"

"You can do whatever you want; I will never regret killing her! She wasn't my mother! Lilithmon is!" Michalis said. "Now, if you're done speaking to that dead woman, there's a profane bishop I need to catch up to." After a moment, Thomas released his grip on Michalis's arm. "See you later…'_bro'_." Michalis slid down the spire after Sephyrus.

"Why did you let him go?" I asked.

"I couldn't do it…not with you watching…"

"We could have covered our eyes," Statuedramon suggested.

"No; you'd have still heard it." Thomas reached back into his pocket and pulled out the stone.

"Hey…wasn't that rock purple a few minutes ago?" Statch asked.

"It was purple when it had a soul bound to it; it isn't now that it no longer has a soul attached to it," Thomas said. "But why would they still need it if it was devoid of souls?"

"Do you think Apollomon will know?" I asked.

"We should hurry back; if he does know, we might be able to use that knowledge against Lilithmon."


	60. Belphemon Awakens

**Michalis**

**Mandala City**

**2 Days**

I stood nervously at the very center of Mandala City, the place where Lilithmon seemed to be most at ease. I watched her face, wondering how she would react to the news I had just delivered. "I see…so, Myotismon has been defeated as well," Lilithmon said. "Well, I'm sure _he's_ pissed about that; he was always the quickest to anger of the twelve of us."

"I apologize, milady; such a thing should not have occurred while there was something I could have done about it," Sephyrus said. "If Myotismon is too miffed about his predicament, perhaps I could—"

"Nah, let him be pissed off; even if he was alive, I'm sure he wouldn't be _too _much happier."

"So…milady, are your preparations complete?"

"Yes; I'm ready to begin," Sephyrus nodded. "Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioPremenitmon!"

"Are you sure you'll be okay without that gem?" Lilithmon asked.

"It is only a single attack I will be losing," BioPremenitmon said, holding up his ankh. "Shadow Evolution was convenient, but losing it will in no way hinder me as I continue working with you, Lilithmon." Lilithmon wrapped her fingers around the vibrantly colored jewel in BioPremenitmon's ankh and plucked it out.

"Michalis?"

"I know, I know…" My heart sank as I lifted up my left sleeve and looked at the silk cloth wrapped around my arm. _Almost forgot it was there…Wonder if it's as bad as it was the last time I checked?_ I sighed, beginning to unravel the cloth until it loosely fell into my hand. Lilithmon took it, ignoring the dark blood that stained it. The Silk had covered a festering welt that I had gotten when the blood of Beelzemon was injected into mine.

"What are the odds that the two of you would be in the possession of a Horcrux?!" Lilithmon asked giddily. She grasped my Jewel and Michalis's Silk in her left hand, and stared down greedily at the two of them.

"It seems as though we are fated to prevail," BioPremenitmon said, turning back into Sephyrus. "I was simply lucky enough to stumble upon this jewel in my youth, and I've kept it with me ever since."

"That cloth has been wrapped around my arm ever since I was turned into a Bio Hybrid." I spoke in an absent-minded voice, half-listening to the conversation as I examined my arm. "They told me that my 'operation' was a bit messier than others, and they used that cloth to stop the bleeding. Guess they forgot about it…" _Well…I suppose it's not _nearly_ as gory and repugnant as it was before…At least the bleeding stopped nine years ago…_

"Well, lucky for us that they did!" Lilithmon said. "This jewel is home to the soul of DeathPhantomon before his murder in Yew at the hands of Flamedramon — a different Flamedramon from the one we are familiar with, mind you — and this silk is home to the soul of Belphemon before his murder here in Mandala at the hands of Neptunemon."

"Rumor has it that Neptunemon lives still," Sephyrus said.

"Really? Where?!"

"It's rumored that he's been frozen solid by an incredibly powerful Digimon up in Nymphaea Province."

"Really…I wonder who could have done that," Lilithmon mused. "Well, as long as he's out of the way, I guess it doesn't matter. Now, then…it's time to revive Belphemon!"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

"What do you _mean,_ they took the sword?!" I asked.

"I mean just dat," Pheragas said, sitting across from us on a couch in the villa's living room. He and BlackGaomon, who sat in Pheragas's lap, were covered in soot and smoke, but appeared to be otherwise unharmed. Beside the two were Apollomon and Dianamon. Zelda and Statuedramon sat next to me. Luna sat in a chair nearby, and on the floor next to her lay Chrysania, sprawled out on her stomach and swinging her legs in the air.

"But…that can't be!" Statuedramon jumped up and stood on the couch next to me. "The Bio Hybrids were on Marigold Spire; they brought back Myotismon right before we killed him! How could they have _also_ been in Yew, taking the sword?!"

"It might not have been them," I said. Apollomon glanced at me.

"What do you mean?" Luna asked.

"Just because a Horcrux was taken doesn't mean it was one of the Bio Hybrids who took it," the Mega answered. "Pheragas, you and BlackGaomon clearly heard your attacker say the word 'Horcrux,' didn't you?"

"Yes; the Digimon that attacked us said that his master wanted the sword in his possession," BlackGaomon said.

"_His_ possession?!"

"Yeah…? What's so weird about—"

"_His_ possession," Apollomon repeated. "The Digimon attacking you wanted the sword for his master, who he clearly stated to be male. Lilithmon is a woman."

"Oh…"

"It's kind of hard not to notice," Statuedramon said in a dreamy voice.

"So that means that someone else is out gathering Horcruxes," Dianamon said.

"And if they attacked the two of you to get it, then I doubt they have something in plan for them," Apollomon said.

"Or us," Pheragas added.

"Geez, this is turning into an even bigger mess than the one a two weeks ago," Statch said.

"…Apollomon…can you think of any reason why Lilithmon would still need the Horcruxes after the souls have left them?" I asked.

"What do you mean?! They shouldn't have any reason to keep them!"

_Wow…this really _is_ getting weird, then…_ I reached into my pocket, pulled out the stone that had once held Myotismon's soul, and held it up for Apollomon to see. "After Myotismon was killed by Gigasmon…Sephyrus took the time to try and retrieve this…just like he did with the necklace." Apollomon stared blankly at the stone. "Are you sure you can't think of any reasons why they would still need them?" I asked.

"They…shouldn't be of any use to her anymore…" Apollomon said.

"I can't think of any reason, either," Luna said.

"If they are taking the time to get the Horcruxes even when they don't have any souls in them, it might prove wise to retrieve them before they have a chance to," Dianamon said.

"And in the meantime, Sephyrus told us Lilithmon is already in possession of the Silk and Jewel Horcruxes," Statuedramon said.

"The jewel…that may be DeathPhantomon," Apollomon said. "And I'm fairly certain the silk was Belphemon's. In Mandala, before Lilithmon's first death, Seraphimon told me he saw a shred of Lilithmon's sleeve float away soon after Belphemon vanished."

"Then that means Belphemon was killed in Mandala!" Statuedramon exclaimed. "And that's where Lilithmon and the Bio Hybrids are right now! And _that_ means she could be bringing Belphemon back right now!"

"How powerful was Belphemon back in the old days?" I asked. "Did the friend of yours who killed Belphemon ever tell you that much?"

"Let me think…Neptunemon told me that Belphemon had held him off for quite a bit until he had finally one," Apollomon said. "Belphemon is a Digimon large and powerful enough to strike down entire mountains with a single swing of his arms, but is usually too busy napping to actually do it."

"So, he's lazy, is he?" Statch asked. "Guess we don't have to hurry, then."

"I wouldn't be too sure," I said.

"On the contrary," Apollomon interrupted. "When Belphemon actually _is_ awake, he is a wrathful and destructive being; in fact, it was partly because of him that Mandala is now on the bottom of the ocean. It is advised that you leave as soon as possible, Thomas, and if possible, stop Belphemon from being brought forth from the Dark Area in the first place. Like, now."

"What?! We have to go to the bottom of the _ocean_?! _Again_?!" Statch wined.

"Irene led me to a shortcut to Mandala in Yew when we went to kill Lilithmon last time," I said. "It's really close by; we should get there in about ten minutes." _And maybe…Michalis will be there…I'll have to be prepared for the possibility of not just fighting him, but…killing him…Victoria's son…_

"Go as soon as you are ready," Apollomon said. "And do not let Belphemon walk this earth again!"

* * *

**Sephyrus**

**Mandala City**

**10 Minutes**

"Boy, _this_ sure is taking a while," Michalis said. He yawned in boredom as he looked around the sunken city. "How come the others didn't take this long?"

"It has to do with the ancient language Lilithmon is reciting," I said. "In the ancient language, Belphemon's name is almost one hundred syllables."

"_One hundred_?! That's fucking insane!" the boy's jaw dropped. "I can see why that language is dead!"

"Conversely, the word meaning 'antidisestablishmentarianism' is only two syllables."

"…Is there anything else I should know about the language?"

"Do not fear, Michalis; it will not be required of you to learn this language," I laughed.

"It is complete!" Lilithmon's voice echoed throughout the ancient city. Beneath the shred of Lilithmon's sleeve that lay on the floor, a black hole appeared, and from it emerged the claws of an enormous Digimon. Soon, its head was in sight, and before too long, the rest of it. Belphemon stood, towering over the three of us. It seemed as though he were panting from exhaustion, though to me, it sounded more like roaring. "Behold; the triumphant return of the most powerful of my Digimon allies; Belphemon!"

"Enough of the idle chattering," Belphemon said. "What's for dinner?"

"Damn it, we're too late!" I turned around, seeing Thomas, Zelda, and Statuedramon standing above a blue tile and gaping at Belphemon's colossal figure.

"I was hoping we'd be able to avoid this," Thomas said.

"Those three are the ones who killed me a week ago," Lilithmon said. "They will do for now, won't they?"

"Oh, good; I _love_ the taste of Humans!" Belphemon greedily stared at Thomas and Zelda. "_Especially_ the girls!"

"Bon appétit, dear Belphemon. We're off to free another of our allies," Lilithmon said. "Sephyrus, Michalis; with me! We're going to Yew!"

"Yes, milady," I said. Michalis and I quickly ran after her, with a roar from Belphemon being the last thing I heard before stepping on a different blue tile, headed for Mandala.


	61. The Phantom Unleashed

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Mandala City**

"You three are the ones who killed Lilithmon a year ago," Belphemon said. The gigantic Digimon licked his lips.

"I've never heard of a Digimon eating Humans before," Zelda whispered. Belphemon greedily looked down at her.

"You're a bit on the scrawny side, Human woman; there's hardly any meat on your bones at all," Belphemon said. "I should save you for later, Human woman, so I can make you as fat as I can get you. A lot of fattening up would do _wonders_ for your flavor! What was your name, again? I can't quite remember."

"The only thing you're going to know is what it's like to die a second time!" I retorted.

"…So…you think you can kill me, small Digimon?" Belphemon asked. "I don't really care what you or anyone else thinks. Let's just get this over with so I can go back to sleep! Gift of Darkness!"

"Come forth, Gigasmon!" As soon as Zelda summoned him, the Mineral Digimon reached up and caught two of Belphemon's claws before they touched the ground.

"You wish to have a strength contest with _me_, Spirit?"

"Me no care how strong you is! Me will protect master!" Gigasmon said.

"Hah! Good luck with that!" Belphemon said. "My claws are clad in the flames of hell! You think someone like _you_ could withstand their heat?!"

"What should we do?!" Statch whispered frantically. "There's no way any of us could beat a Digimon this powerful! And I don't wanna get eaten!"

"Oh, relax! _I'm_ the one he's going to fatten up!" Zelda whined.

"Should we go back and get Apollomon?" I asked. I looked calmly at Zelda, and admired how calm and composed she looked in the shadow of that enormous Digimon.

"I don't think we have time for that!" Statch said. "Lilithmon is in Yew as we speak, summoning another Digimon! We need to hurry up and kill this one before that one gets out! But…I'm not big enough to fight a Digimon like this…"

"Big enough…Statuedramon, aren't you capable of Digivolving?" Zelda asked.

"Not that I know of. I know most Rookie Digimon with a Human partner like me can do it, but I just don't know how it's done."

"Without Apollomon to help us, Zelda, I think you might be the only one who can stop Belphemon," I said. "The Digimon you summon are the only ones strong enough to stop him."

"Enough! I grow weary of this!" Belphemon roared. "Lampranthus!" One of the chains coiled around Belphemon's wrist moved on its own and struck Gigasmon across the head. The Digimon Spirit tumbled over backward and was struck again by two more of Belphemon's chains before the larger Digimon swatted him away with his claws. Belphemon roared victoriously as Gigasmon vanished.

"…Okay. I'll try not to let you down, Thomas," Zelda said.

_As if you ever could_…I smiled as I watched as Zelda held up an arm to summon another Digimon. "Come forth, Dynasmon!" she commanded

"Dragon's Roar!" Dynasmon unleashed an attack that struck Belphemon directly in the chest, managing to move the larger Digimon back a few feet.

"Eating Digimon Spirits is no fun," Belphemon said. "Get out of my way so I can eat those Humans! Even though she's way too skinny, that girl looks _especially_ soft and tender…" Belphemon began to drool.

"Never; Breath of Wyvern!"

"Gift of Darkness!" Belphemon's claws cut through Dynasmon's attack, the flames of which dispersed into the air and vanished. Dynasmon was effortlessly swatted to the ground by the enormous talons before disappearing. "Done yet?"

"Come forth, Leomon!" Zelda yelled as the Champion level Spirit materialized,

"Fist of the Beast King!"

"Lampranthus!" Belphemon flailed the chains around his arms, striking Leomon across the side of his head and his shoulder before he could attack.

"No! Leomon!" She began to run to her Spirit's side, but I held up my arm to stop her from getting any closer to Belphemon.

"Don't worry; I'll be fine…" Leomon, with a trembling arm, tightly grasped the hilt of his sword and removed it from its scabbard.

"Lampranthus!"

"Beast Sword!" Leomon quickly swung his blade, slicing clear through Belphemon's chains before they were able to hit him.

"Gift of Darkness!"

"Leomon Digivolve to, SaberLeomon!" SaberLeomon, standing on his hind legs, was almost as tall as Belphemon; he let out a threatening roar that shook the entire city. Belphemon, with a look of near-concern on his face, halted his attack and drew his arm back.

"A Digimon the same size as me? I thought Machinedramon was the only one," Belphemon said.

"I have people I'm fighting for; you cannot hope to be a match for me," SaberLeomon growled.

"Well, either way, let's try to make this quick," Belphemon said. "I'm getting tired of all this moving around…"

"Howling Crusher!" SaberLeomon reared up on his hind legs and shoved one of his front claws into Belphemon's chest. Blood came surging out, staining SaberLeomon's yellow fur orange.

"…Well? Aren't you going to scream in agony like everyone else?" I asked.

"I would…but…it'd take too much…of an effort…" Belphemon smiled and looked down at the three of us. "Well done…I completely underestimated you, so I held back…If we ever fight again…you won't win…this easily…" Belphemon, still smiling, fell over lifelessly as his body turned to small bits and clumps of data.

"My lady, I shall be taking my leave for now," SaberLeomon said before disappearing.

"We've got to go after Lilithmon now!" Statuedramon said.

"She said she was going to Yew, right?" I asked.

"Let's go; she's probably summoning that Digimon as we speak!" Zelda said. I gently took her hand in mine as the three of us left the submerged subcontinent of Mandala.

* * *

**Sephyrus**

**Yew**

"DeathPhantomon is free!" Lilithmon exclaimed. The three of us stood in a secluded area of the city, and we were hidden from sight by a few warehouses. The jewel lay on the ground at Lilithmon's feet, and beneath it, a black hole opened up, with a rather large, cloaked Digimon quickly flying out of it.

"It's good to be free again," DeathPhantomon said. "Well, Lilithmon, it seems as though thou art keeping up thine end of the bargain after all. The punishment I had in store for thee will have to remain as little more than a fond, _fond_ memory."

"Oh…thank you, DeathPhantomon," Lilithmon said.

"On the other hand…" DeathPhantomon continued. "It seems that thou art failing to _keep_ us here once we have been brought back. Alas, SkullCaliphmon, Myotismon, and even Belphemon hath fallen in battle. Lilithmon…if this keeps up, thy sweet, enjoyable punishment will turn from dream to reality."

"Belphemon's dead, too?!" Michalis exclaimed. "How could a Digimon as big and powerful as him be defeated so soon?!"

"It shall forever remain a mystery," DeathPhantomon shrugged. "Belphemon hast begun his near-eternal slumber upon once again upon returning to the Dark Area."

"Rest assured, DeathPhantomon; I highly doubt a Digimon of your skill would fall as easily to those Humans," Lilithmon said.

"Of this, I have little doubt," DeathPhantomon agreed. "For I shall not face them in battle."

"You _what_?!"

"It seems as though all those who face those Humans are destroyed. I shall make mine escape before they arrive."

"You coward! How can you be afraid of two Humans and a Rookie level Digimon?!"

"Thou may call it whatever thou wishes to; I call it keeping myself alive, free from the Dark Area. And so now, I shall bid thee a fondest farewell." DeathPhantomon bowed as well as he could for not having any legs, then flew away.

"Oh, well…maybe it _is_ better this way," Lilithmon sighed. "He is right; at least those Humans won't be finding him…Well, come on; let's get back to Mandala." Michalis and Lilithmon began walking away, and I prepared to do the same, but I stopped when I heard someone approaching.

"You are too late," I said as I heard Thomas and Statuedramon walk up to me.

"Too late…you mean…the Digimon…has already been summoned?" Statuedramon asked, completely out of breath, as if he had run all the way over here.

"Yes, but you have no reason to be concerned," I said.

"Why is that?" Zelda asked.

"The Digimon we summoned, DeathPhantomon, has run away, so to speak. He has no quarrel with you, and would prefer not to share the same fate as his allies." I turned around to look at the three. "If you are fated to do so…then you _will_ fight him. Of this, I have no doubt."

"So, where are you going to go for a Horcrux next?" Thomas asked.

"I am unsure. We do not know the locations of any more off the tops of our heads. It is actually quite possible that you will get to a few of them before us. But just know that we'll always be there to get them back." Without another look behind me, I walked off after Lilithmon and Michalis.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**20 Minutes**

It was nearing the end of the day and close to sundown by the time we had made it back to the villa. Apollomon was the only other person that sat with the three of us in the living room as we retold what happened.

"Well, I'm impressed you all managed to defeat Belphemon by yourselves, and I'm even more pleased none of you got hurt," he said.

"Statch and I didn't really do much of the fighting; it was all Zelda and her Digimon Spirits that defeated Belphemon," I said. I glanced over at the woman I love only to find her blushing in embaressment.

"Well, nevertheless, I'm glad you weren't hurt," Apollomon repeated. "However, it is even more troubling to know that a Digimon like DeathPhantomon is roaming Arcadia freely."

"What kind of Digimon was he?" Statuedramon asked.

"Again, I never fought him, so I only have a vague idea of what he is like," Apollomon said. "From what I was told, however, I can only surmise that he was an exceedingly cunning and crafty Digimon, one who uses his surroundings, even the shadows themselves, to his fullest advantage, and on the rare occasions he was backed into a corner, he was able to change his form and regain the advantage he previously had. This is not a Digimon you will be able to defeat if you fight him unprepared; however, with the way he fights, there is no real way to be prepared for him."

"Wow…how could we defeat someone like that?" Statuedramon asked.

"I am uncertain as to how he was ever defeated in the first place, unfortunately," Apollomon said. "The friend of mine who killed him, Flamedramon, passed away before he was able to tell me how he was successful."

"_Flamedramon_?! Hold on a minute—!"

"Oh, yes; he's not the same Flamedramon we are all familiar with," Apollomon added quickly.

"If he's not targeting any of us, then we might not be in too much danger," I said.

"That may be, but as long as he's still out there, we should be on our guard," Zelda said.

"So, what of the next Horcrux?" Statuedramon asked. "Even Sephyrus said that they don't know specifically where any of them are, so what should our next move be?"

"Well…I have a few ideas of where some might be," Apollomon said. "But it's getting late. I'll tell you what I know tomorrow morning."

"…Fine," Statch sighed. The three of us left the living room and began walking upstairs to our rooms. Zelda and I now shared a room, as well as a bed, while Statuedramon had a room all to himself.

"…Tommy?" Zelda asked as soon as I closed our bedroom door. "If Belphemon…if he had made me fat like he said he would've…Would you still love me?"

"Of course I would, sweetie!" I walked up to her and embraced her. "He could have fed you until you were bigger than _he_ was, and I would still love you. I will _always_ love you, no matter what."

"…Thank you, Tommy. I will always love you, too…"

* * *

**The Next Morning**

"So, you said you had an idea of where some more of those Horcruxes might be?" Statuedramon asked. All the members of Lachesis stood in the villa's living room, standing around a map of Arcadia that lay across a table in the middle of the room.

"…Possibly," Apollomon said. "Over on the other side of the continent, near Shendu Territory…in the ocean…that is where the Medallion should be."

"If it's in the ocean, I might be able to get it," Luna said. "I know of a spell that enables Humans and Digimon to breathe underwater." Apollomon nodded.

"Good; you'll go with Thomas and Zelda to Shendu Territory to find that Horcrux, then."

_Shendu...I don't know what help I would be underwater, but…_I glanced over at Zelda. _Shendu Beach is said to be really beautiful…that's something I'd like to share with her…_

"The next one, the Flute, should be somewhere in the Savage Prairie, in Elphierr Territory."

"I was born in Elphierr Territory, so I know my way around that area," Dianamon said. "I'll go search for the flute."

"And the next one, the Mirror, should be near Lake Viscaria in Lotisea Province."

"BlackGaomon and I vill go and get dat vun," Pheragas said. "I need to make up for de vun I lost."

"You didn't fail us, Pheragas," Dianamon said. "None of us knew somebody else might be searching for the Horcruxes."

"Everybody, proceed with extreme caution," Apollomon warned. "It is extremely likely that each of your groups will be attacked by those seeking the Horcruxes. Chrysania, Statuedramon, and I will remain behind so not all of our members will be out at the same time, in case you all _do_ get attacked."

"You know, as much as I hate the thought of being left behind…that's a really good idea," Statuedramon said. Apollomon nodded.

"Everyone, make your preparations and depart as soon as possible." Luna, Zelda and I all left for our rooms to prepare for our undoubtedly long journey.


	62. The Medallion Calls

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Shendu Territory**

**3 Days**

The waves of the ocean were all that could be heard. The sun was in the middle of the sky, and its light was reflected with a near-blinding glow on the surface of the water. The sand of the beach Zelda, Luna, and I stood on had been heated up quite a lot by the sun, and though I wore shoes, I could sense just how hot it was—mainly due to Luna's complaints about it, as the young witch had taken her shoes off.

"Wouldn't want these little beauties to get ruined," she had said as she placed them into Zelda's satchel before we arrived at the beach.

Zelda gazed at the vast ocean lying before us now. "This is my first time here," she said. "To the ocean, at least…"

"I've never even been to Shendu Territory, let alone the beach," I said. "The farthest east I've ever been was Elphierr Territory."

"It's…so beautiful…" The ocean's sparkling light was reflected in my lover's eyes; she seemed as completely mesmerized by the sight of the ocean's water as I was with the sight of her beauty before me. "I could watch this all day…"

"As pleasant as that sounds, we have something we must do," Luna said. "I'll go see if I can find us a boat."

"A boat?" I gave the witch a quizzical look. "Don't you know some spell that will let us breathe underwater?"

"Of course I do! But, like most of my spells, that one has a time limit. That's why it would be best for us to find a boat."

"Couldn't you just…magic one up?" Zelda asked.

"I _could_, but magic shouldn't be depended on for everything. If you can do something with your own hands, you should do so." Without any warning, Luna, in a single, fluid motion, removed her shirt. Neither of us were surprised, as this was something Luna frequently did at home. Her beauty and sexuality were two of the most dangerous weapons Lachesis had, possibly even more so than Pheragas's axe, and Luna proudly and unashamedly used both to her advantage to lead to the downfall of countless nameless bandits. "Now, let's see if I can find some poor, unassuming sap that I can…persuade…into letting us use his boat…" Luna had begun taking her long, dress-like skirt off until she was wearing nothing but her black and dark violet bikini. "Unless I don't find anyone, this shouldn't take _too_ long. I'll be back as soon as I can!"

"I should…I should probably…" Zelda's face began to turn bright red as Luna walked away. "I…I don't want my clothes to get wet…"

"You want to change? I can turn arou—"

"No, that's okay; I did what Luna did," she added quickly, and very, very quietly. "I…I've never worn one before, though…"

"You've never struck me as the type to wear a bikini before," I said.

"…Me too," she said quietly, nervously looking away from me as she began taking her boots off. "It must seem ridiculous, being nervous like this; what I'm wearing right now really isn't too much more revealing than a bikini…"

"You don't have any reason to apologize for being the way you are as a person," I said softly. "To be honest, I find your shyness quite endearing. You're really adorable when you blush like this."

"Thomas…" Eventually, Zelda finished removing her clothes; she wore nothing but a blue bikini with a same-colored cloth wrapped around her waist. She was blushing furiously and trying hard to avoid my gaze.

"You do look very beautiful," I assured her. "You may not ever believe me when I say it, but that doesn't mean it isn't true."

"…T—Thank you…"

"Wow! Lookin' good, Z!" Luna said. "I'm relieved to see that you're getting less shy, dear."

Zelda's face went completely red with embaressment.

"Luna, did you find a boat already?" I asked.

"C'mon, Thomas; with a body like _mine_, I'm surprised I didn't get a few marriage proposals in the process," the witch joked. "See that man over there?" Luna pointed, and a good distance away stood a lone man next to a motor boat. "Biggest perv I've ever met — which is definitely saying something — but I was able to convince him to let just the three of us use that boat of his."

As far away as the man was, we could see him wave, and Luna turned around to blow him a kiss. "C'mon, we'd better go," she said, rolling her eyes as she turned to face us. "We have to get to that next Horcrux before the Bio Hybrids do."

* * *

**Michalis**

**10 Minutes**

"Damn it; we're too late!" The boat with three of Lilithmon's enemies took off, leaving Sephyrus and me alone on the cold, windy beach. They were soon out of sight, and I kicked a clump of sand away in anger.

"Not necessarily, my son," Sephyrus said. "Suppose we were to arrive here first; what would we do?"

"We would…find the Medallion," I replied. "The Medallion of the Crescent Moon…the Horcrux we're searching for…what else would we do?"

"And how, exactly, would we get it?"

"What do you mean?"

"The Medallion lies beneath the ocean's surface, and I, without my ability to transform without DeathPhantomon's jewel, would be unable to find it. Unless you are capable of Digivolving into something that can breathe underwater, we have no other way of getting it."

"So…we just wait for them to come back with it, and then we take it?" I asked. "Just like with the Stone?"

"Exactly," Sephyrus smiled. "Michalis…how goes your…newest transformation? Have you attained flight yet?"

"Yeah, I've got my wings now."

"Very good; I'm going to go to the restoration sight. When you retrieve the Medallion, bring it to me there as soon as you can."

"Understood."

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**2 Hours**

"I think I…found something…" I climbed up into the boat, gasping for air, like Luna and Zelda before me, having been down in the water for longer than expected. In spite of having been down in the ocean before me, both women were still soaking wet, and their bikini-clad bodies glistened in the sunlight.

"Are you okay?" Zelda asked. I nodded.

"What did you find?" Luna asked.

"It looked…like a treasure chest," I said. "I'll bet…that's where the Horcrux is. Luna…cast the spell again. I'm ready."

"If you say so," Luna said. The sorceress gently placed her hands over my shoulders as she began to speak in an eerie, incomprehensible language, as she had done before. "Okay, go!" I leaped out of the boat and once again dove down into the sea. In truth, I didn't physically _feel_ any different; it wasn't as though I suddenly grew gills. However, it did feel rather weird to be able to breathe in water, and on several occasions, I found myself holding my breath.

_Let's see…where was it?_ For a few moments, I swam further and further down in silence until something caught my eye. A black treasure chest, caught between two rocks. _That's it!_ I made my way to the chest, and no sooner had I placed my hand on top of the chest than a giant, white tentacle wrapped itself around my arm. _Oh, no…why now?!_

"This is _my_ treasure, Human!" I stared with horror into the featureless face of the Gesomon that held me in place. "Leave at once, or suffer the consequences!"

"No! I need what's in that chest!" I shouted. _I don't even know if what I'm looking for is in there, though…_ I reached down for my sword and severed the Gesomon's tentacle.

"You fool; you should've left when you had the chance! Coral Crusher!" I was barely able to wrap my fingers around one of the chest's handles before one of Gesomon's larger tentacles struck me across the chest, sending my flying through the water with the Champion level chasing after me. "You won't get away from me that easily; Deadly Shade!" Gesomon squirted out a thick, black ink. Instantly, my eyes began to burn as the Gesomon wrapped his limbs tighter and tighter around my chest.

_Damn it…I have to…lose this thing! Can't let it…hurt Zelda…_ I tried in vain to swing the heavy, bulky chest, but Gesomon had me tied up too tightly to move my arms. _Damn…I couldn't have died…fighting bravely against one of those Bio Hybrids, huh?_

"Fist of the Beast King!" A flaming lion's head tore through Gesomon's ink cloud and struck the Mollusk Digimon in the back of the head

"…Leo…mon…"

"Beast Sword!" Leomon's sword cut through a majority of Gesomon's legs, setting me free. Gesomon turned around, and when he saw Leomon he began backing away slowly.

"You okay, little buddy?" Leomon asked.

"Yeah…I'll be fine…" the two of us began swimming up to the ocean's surface.

"Oooh, Leomon, huh?" I heard the Gesomon ask, sounding somewhat impressed. "I've always heard stories of how strong Leomon was, but I never knew he could swim, too!"

"Zelda saw that cloud of ink rise to the surface, so she and Luna sent me to check up on you," Leomon explained, ignoring the Gesomon. In a matter of seconds, we had reached the ocean's undulating surface. The Digimon Spirit climbed into the boat and helped me get the chest aboard before I climbed in after it.

"Tommy, are you okay?! What happened down there?!" Zelda asked.

"It was a Gesomon," I said.

"Did he use his Deadly Shade attack?" Luna asked. I nodded.

"It got in my eyes. I can't see anything, now…"

"Oh, no! Luna, is there anything you can do for him?!" Zelda asked.

"This is the work of a Digimon's attack, and damage from them can always be undone, dear," Luna said. "However, it will require the use of a potion, one that I cannot make while we are out in the middle of nowhere. We'll get him back to Shendu Territory, and I'll see what I can do."

"Don't worry, Thomas; we'll get you back safely, and you'll see again really soon!" Zelda said.

"I've always wanted to challenge you, Leomon!" I heard Gesomon yell.

Leomon sighed. "Yes, I know," he said. "That's what I did with my life before dying; fighting Digimon like you who thought they stood a chance against me. In fact…that's how I died, Gesomon. That's how I became a Digimon Spirit. If you wish to fight me, I have no objections, though. I will defend my master and her friends with every ounce of my strength!"

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear!" Gesomon yelled. "Gesomon Digivolve to, MarineDevimon!"

"…MarineDevimon…One of the strongest Digimon to hide in the depths of the ocean," Luna said breathlessly.

"…I thought they were blue, though," Zelda said. "Why is this one red?"

_What?! A Digimon with a rare coloration, and I have to be fucking blind!_

"It happens," Luna said. "From what I've read, there's like a one in eight thousand chance of seeing a Digimon with a different coloration."

_God damn it, no! Why?! Of all the times to be blind, why _now?!

"Leomon Digivolve to, SaberLeomon!" A monstrously loud splash violently shook the boat as the Digimon Spirit leaped into the ocean. "You three, go on ahead; I'll deal with MarineDevimon."

"No way! I'm not sticking around for _this_!" MarineDevimon screamed. "I wanted to fight _Leomon_, not this oversized monster! I'm out of here!" Another loud splash was heard, but still, I could see nothing.

"It doesn't hurt, does it?" I heard Zelda's concerned voice next to me..

"Well, my eyes are burning, but I'm getting kind of used to it by now." I felt Zelda — at least, I'm fairly certain it was Zelda — reach down and give my hand a gentle squeeze as the boat began to move once again, heading for the shoreline.

"Yeah, the burning's to be expected with Gesomon's Deadly Shade attack," Luna said. I heard the lid of the treasure chest open. "…You did a good job, Thomas. You found it."

"The Horcrux? Is it in there?"

"Yes; this is it," Luna said. "Oh, wait; I guess you can't see it…Sorry. I was holding it up to…show you…"

I smiled. "Don't worry about it. As long as the Bio Hybrids didn't get it, I'm happy." In a few short minutes, I felt the boat come to a sudden halt.

"We're back, Thomas," Zelda said softly. After I was helped out of the boat by the two women, my ears soon picked up the wingbeats of an approaching Digimon.

"…Something's coming," I said.

"What? Where?" Luna asked. I could hear her shifting around in the sand, looking around.

_Interesting; my hearing seems better now that I'm blind…_ "It's a flying Digimon; I can't tell which direction it's coming from…"

"Corona Blaster!" The sound of multiple attacks resonated in the air as they struck the sandy beach, sending sand flying everywhere. "I'll take that!"

"That voice…Michalis?!"

"I claim this Medallion in the name of Lilithmon! Ain't it lovely?" I heard BioBeelzemon ask.

"Where are you?!" _And how long has he had wings?!_

"Oh…are you blind or something? Well, that's not my concern; I got what I came here for, and soon, Generalmon will walk Arcadia once again! Later, losers!" The sound of BioBeelzemon's wingbeats faded away, and soon, he was gone.

"What…what should we do?" Zelda asked. "We can't fight him…not without Thomas's help…"

"I'll have to try; even if I can't see, I'll still fight him," I said.

"No," I heard Luna say.

"Luna?"

"I'll go after him," Luna said. "I'll fight BioBeelzemon, and if necessary, that Generalmon."

"By _yourself_?!" Zelda asked.

"We don't really have a choice, now do we?" Luna asked. "You wait here with Thomas; I'll go get the Medallion back."

"Will you be okay by yourself?" I asked. I felt so helpless, and useless, not being able to fight. This was a new feeling, and it wasn't like the time in the desert when Apollomon told me not to fight. This time, it was…crushing…like I was being deprived of my sole purpose in life.

"I could send Leomon or Dynasmon with you, if you'd like," Zelda suggested.

"No; I'll be fine on my own," Luna said. "I'll be back soon. I promise." I heard the sound of Luna's footsteps fade into the distance.

"…Just don't die!" I shouted. _If anything happened to another friend when I could've been there to help out, I'll never forgive myself_…

"…Don't worry. I would never be so cruel as to deprive Chrysania of her mother _again_."


	63. Nameless Challenger

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Shendu Territory**

"Can you see anything yet?" Zelda asked. Her voice was filled with concern. "Your eyes don't hurt anymore, do they?"

"I can't see anything, I'm afraid," I replied. The two of us had been sitting alone on the beach with our, or at least my, back against what felt like a tree. The entire time, Zelda sat with her arms wrapped around my shoulders, as if to keep me safely in place while I couldn't see. "My eyes still burn quite a bit from that attack, though."

"Aww, poor baby…" Zelda intertwined her fingers in between my own as I felt her lips press up against my right cheek.

"Zelda…you haven't…you're still wearing your bikini, aren't you?"

"I don't want to let go of you for a second while you're still like this!" Zelda exclaimed. "I don't know what it's like to be blind, but I'm not going to leave your side if I can help it! I could never…abandon you…"

_Wow…I have the sweetest girlfriend in the world…_ I smiled and placed my arm around her waist, enjoying the moment and the soft and silky feel of her skin. I gently brushed my fingertips across her belly, and I could feel her laugh as my fingers worked their way around her navel. Without warning, I felt Zelda shift nervously. "What's wrong?"

"…Someone's coming again…"

"Who is it? Is it Luna?"

"No…It's a man…" I noted a small tinge of fear in her usually calm voice. "He's walking up to us." Soon, I heard the footsteps of the man as he walked through the sand of the beach. "Who are you?"

"…I…do not know," the man said. "It seems I have forgotten."

"What do you want with us?" Zelda asked.

"There is a swordsman in your embrace; a particularly well-known one from where I came from," the man continued. "I wish to challenge him."

* * *

**Luna**

**Acacia City**

**Shendu Territory**

_Where _are_ those two?!_ My eyes were frantically scanning the sky, hoping to find BioBeelzemon. _I can't _believe_ I lost sight of that bastard!_ Though it was only for a brief moment, an incandescent surge of white light filled the sky. _By Goddess Arcadia…I'm too late! They've already—_

"Welcome to the plane of the living, Generalmon," an unfamiliar voice said. I turned around, seeing a clearing near the outskirts of Acacia. There, I saw Michalis standing with another man I could only assume to be Sephyrus. In front of them was a heavily armored Digimon whom they addressed as Generalmon. So as not to be noticed, I hid myself behind a tree.

"Skip the pleasantries, Sephyrus," Generalmon said. "I'm interested only in conversing with Lilithmon…so that I may remove her head from her body."

"But…that would prevent the rest of you from being freed!" Michalis said.

"Not necessarily," Sephyrus said. "I am capable of doing so as well, remember?"

"Yeah, but they'd all be weaker without her around, right?"

"The child is correct. You may be capable, Sephyrus, but without Lilithmon — without all twelve of us — our power is diminished. Unfortunately, she must live on so all twelve of us can remain at full power," Generalmon said. "Now, the only thing that I need to do is find a way to revive SkullCaliphmon, Myotismon, and Belphemon without need of foolish Horcruxes so that that can happen."

"Not so fast, Generalmon," Sephyrus interrupted. "You…do realize where you are at the moment…do you not?"

"No…please, enlighten me, Father Sephyrus."

"At this moment, we stand in the outskirts of Acacia City of Shendu Territory. The exact same city where you were killed by Omnimon."

"Did you say…Acacia?"

Sephyrus nodded. Generalmon snapped his fingers, and a large, imposing axe materialized in his gauntlet-covered hands.

"Hey, where are you going?" Michalis asked as the tall Digimon began to walk toward the city.

"With this axe, I shall tear even the universe itself to shreds!" Generalmon roared. "But first…Acacia must fall. This eyesore of a city must pay for the injustices it has given!"

_This city…did something to him?! Why? Wait! Maybe…maybe that could be why Generalmon is an evil Digimon…_ Generalmon's heavy footprints interrupted my train of thought as he again began advancing toward the city. _Whatever; it can wait! Right now, I have to stop him!_ I ran out of hiding and placed myself between the city and the behemoth of a Digimon.

"…You wish to stop me?" Generalmon asked. Were his eyes visible, I was certain they would be glaring at me.

"So, those two have sent their bikini-clad witch to do their fighting for them, have they?" Sephyrus asked.

"Yeah, she sure is," Michalis said, staring at me.

"Michalis, please refrain from ogling the witch," Sephyrus said.

"A witch?" Generalmon's helmet turned to face Sephyrus. "Is she any threat to us?"

"I cannot say for sure, as I have never had the honor of seeing her magic."

"If you do not know, then she must not be very imposing. Stand aside, witch!"

"I don't know why you have a grudge against this city, but I can't let you destroy it," I said. I snapped my own fingers, and a small orange flame twisted around my arm. I snapped again, and the flames leapt toward the Digimon, igniting him in a raging inferno that was so intensely bright, it darkened the sky.

"As I thought…you are no threat to us." Generalmon trudged through the flames, his violet-colored armor not even singed and shining beautifully. "But you…you look…familiar…"

"I've never met you in my life," I said. After a moment, Generalmon sighed.

"…I know how to deal with you spellcasters…you spend all day studying your magic, leaving you no time to train your body. You, my dear, I could snap like a twig with only a single hand."

"I'd like to see you try!" I taunted, forming another wisp of flames in my hand.

"Permission granted!" Generalmon stuck his axe blade-first into the soil, and as I prepared to attack again, the huge Digimon ran toward me with a speed that shouldn't have been possible with all the armor he wore. "Ferreo Pugni Dæmonis!" I had been completely caught off guard by his speed, and Generalmon, taking advantage of my surprise, rammed his huge fist into my belly. I fell over backwards as blood spilled out of my mouth. The blood promptly fell and landed on my face as soon as I hit the ground.

* * *

**Zelda**

"You wish…to fight him?" I pulled Thomas's head up against my chest. "But…he…"

"Enough chatter. Only one wielding a sword has the ability to vanquish me…for once and for all," the man said. He snapped his fingers, and two long blades formed in his hands. "I wish to eliminate those strong enough to do so. I have been killed many times…and each time I am reborn, I am unable to remember any of my past lives. I wish only for it to end."

"No, you can't! Thomas—!"

Thomas placed his hand over my shoulder, as if to stop me. "It's okay," he said. Struggling, he stood up and felt around for his sword.

"…You are blind?" the man asked. He sighed, and said, "Well…there is no honor to be found in murdering someone at a severe disadvantage, but if it means keeping my own life and memories intact, then I will do what I must." The man's long black hair, tied up in a ponytail, shook slowly and freely in the air as a light breeze moved past us. "Or, if you'd prefer…I can fight the both of you. That would be ideal for me; you two appear to be lovers. Is there any offspring of yours in her belly? A child that could potentially grow strong enough to vanquish me?"

"Thomas…please…" I reached up and grabbed his hand. Smiling, Thomas bent down and kissed me on the lips.

"Don't worry," he whispered as he pulled me into a hug. "I won't die. Like you did for me, I will never leave you behind. But I won't let you fight this man. He's too strong, and I am not going to risk losing you."

"Thomas…" Finally, Thomas was able to find his sheathed sword at his waist, and in no time, it was in his hands.

"So…you really wish to challenge me, even with your disability," the man said.

"Only if you promise me you won't hurt Zelda!" Thomas said.

"Attacking a defenseless woman would go against the code of chivalry. You have my word of honor. Now, let us begin!"

"No! Thomas, please! Don't do this!" I felt my heart racing faster than ever at the sight of this man. Something about his very presence seemed familiar, but I did not recognize this man in any way.

"Don't worry…I'll keep you safe," he replied. "I will _always_…keep you safe." Thomas gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, but the nameless swordsman was already behind him. By the time Thomas noticed this and turned around, he had already been viciously cut by the twin swords, and he fell to the ground, bleeding and unmoving.


	64. From Love Comes Hidden Strength

**Zelda**

**Shendu Territory**

"Thomas!" Tears began to well in my eyes as I saw him land in a bloody, motionless heap. "Thomas! Thomas!"

"Don't….worry…" he examined the wounds on his chest with his hand, which became soaked with blood. "I'm fine…I'll be fine…" Thomas began to pick himself up off the ground, but in spite of all his struggling, he collapsed once again.

"Come forth, Dynasmon!" I cried.

"…A Digimon Spirit?" The swordsman looked up at the Exalted Knight Digimon, undaunted and unsurprised as I made my way over to Thomas.

"My lady…This one is…different," Dynasmon said.

"What do you mean?" I asked. I raised Thomas's body up off the ground by the shoulders and rested his head in my lap.

"I sense a strange power coming from this one," the spirit replied. "I feel…like there's more than a single soul in his body…that he's experienced more than one life."

"I have," the swordsman said, not even bothering to look at Dynasmon. In contrast, Dynasmon didn't once avert his eyes from the man, carefully watching his every move down to the blinking of his colorless eyes.

"…What is your name?"

"I have none, Spirit."

"What shall I call you, then?" Dynasmon asked.

"You do not need to call me anything. All you need to know is that all of your power is meaningless if you wish to challenge me."

"What do you mean?" Dynasmon asked.

"Digimon Spirits…their power dwindles in my presence, as if I'm sucking away their very life energy."

"…What are you?" Dynasmon asked. "You aren't a Digimon…but you aren't a Human, either! Wait…are you…"

"Enough! Fight me!"

"Very well; Dragon's Roar!" Dynasmon held up his claws, but nothing happened. "Dragon's Roar!" Again, nothing happened. "So, I was right. You really are—"

The swordsman interrupted Dynasmon, cutting through his body with his swords. The spirit roared and howled in pain before vanishing.

"What…what are you?!" Thomas asked. The man ignored his question and turned to face me and Thomas.

"If you've no strength left to fight, then this will be over shortly."

_No…No, I can't let him die!_ I grabbed Thomas's sword from the ground beside him and stood to face the swordsman.

"So…is it now your turn to fight me?"

"Zelda…don't do it…"

"I'm sorry, Thomas, but I'm not going to let this man kill you!" I said.

"And there's nothing I can say…to change your mind?" Thomas asked.

"I'm afraid not," I replied. "I'm doing this because I love you, Thomas."

"So instead, you're choosing to sacrifice yourself _and_ the life in your belly?"

"W—What?! No, I…I'm not pregnant!" I felt my face turn red and slightly warm, and I myself felt quite flustered. "Why do you keep saying that?! Do I _look_…big?" I looked down and examined my belly.

"Zelda…Even if you did…you'd still be beautiful…"

…_Wow…I have the sweetest boyfriend in the world…_

"Now, go kick his ass!" Thomas said loudly, though he must have said it a little too loudly, as he began coughing up blood. "I…I believe in you…"

"Come forth, Renamon!"

"You called, Milady?" Renamon asked.

"Yes…I'm going to do something a little drastic here," I said. "I want you to stay with Thomas while I do."

"As you wish." Renamon knelt down next to Thomas and lifted his upper body off the ground.

"You shall not win," the swordsman said. "I can see it in your eyes; you detest violence and bloodshed, so you've always left the fighting to those around you."

I tightly gripped Thomas's sword.

"There's nothing wrong with being the kind of person you are," the swordsman said. "But…you will _never_ be able to inflict pain on others like that."

"I'm fighting for the man I love, just as he's always done for me," I said. "I _will_ win. I _have_ to."

* * *

**Luna**

I lay on my back in a daze, looking up at the cloudless sky. Generalmon stood over me; he had not moved since he had attacked me. His violet armor gleamed in the sunlight, sending rays of bright light into my eyes. I wiped the blood off my face and tried to stand up, but an unbearably sharp pain in my ribs stopped me, and I fell back down. into the bloodied sand.

"Judging by the look on your face and the sound of your scream…I'd say I broke a rib or two," Generalmon said. I glared up at the huge Digimon, and he began to laugh. "Hurting other people…is _so_ much fun! And while I greatly enjoyed harming you, I have some business to take care of."

"No…wait…" Ignoring the searing pain in my stomach and ribs, I stood up and faced Generalmon. "I can't…let you…get away…"

"Don't be so foolish; I didn't even use half my strength against you, and I broke a few of your ribs. While I admire your dedication, there is nothing you are able to do about your predicament, but I will fight you if that is what you want," Generalmon said. He clenched his fist, and sharp spikes rose from the knuckles of his gauntlets. "I guarantee you; the next time I hit you, you won't get off so lucky!"

"Go ahead and try!" With my own blood, I drew a cross-like design on my belly. The dark bruise left by Generalmon's fist vanished, as did the pain in my ribs. "Ahh…much better! This symbol…it is a healing sigil."

"…You're quite resourceful, aren't you? Perhaps you will be a worthy opponent after all."

"Oh, I _have_ to be resourceful; I wouldn't be a very good sorceress if I weren't!" I replied. Without Generalmon's notice, I began drawing a different symbol on the palms of my hands, this one resembling a sun. "And if I weren't any good at what I do…nobody at Lachesis would want me and my daughter around…"

"A touching story. Now, shall we begin?" I nodded. "Ars Prima!" Generalmon lunged toward me and aimed a punch, with his spiked knuckles, at my head, but before he could hit me, I jumped up and punched him in the chest. His armor became dented where I struck him, with a few small cracks here and there. Generalmon clutched his chest and looked down at it in bewilderment. "What the hell?! What the hell did you just do?!" I showed him the symbols I had drawn on my palms.

"Like the Honest Cross I painted across my belly, these symbols grant their mage special abilities," I said. "The twin Suns of Courage…they grant inhuman strength. Are you certain _you_ still wish to fight _me_, knowing that?"

"You…FUCKING WHORE!" Generalmon struck me across the face, his knuckle spikes leaving deep gashes in my cheek. "You _dare_ talk down to me as if I'm some kind of coward?! Those crests might make you strong, but in comparison to me, all that makes you is a very strong rat!" I softly brushed my fingers across the cuts on my cheek.

_Heh. More blood for me to use. What an idiot…_ Generalmon began walking over to his axe as I painted yet another symbol in the dirt. In the blink of an eye, Generalmon stood in front of me.

"Dæmon Icircumflex!" Generalmon swung his axe down on me as a flash of light illuminated the area.


	65. Bloodlust

**Luna Rosalina**

**Acacia City**

**Shendu Territory**

"Dæmon Icircumflex!" Generalmon swung his axe down on me as a flash of light illuminated the area. A bolt of lightning descended from the sky and struck the Digimon, but not before the blade of his axe had found its way into my shoulder. Ignoring the pain, I pulled the weapon out as Generalmon dropped it, the bolt of lightning I called forth still electrocuting him.

"Ha…I'll bet you're sorry you wear all that thick metal armor now," I said. "The Sage's Bolas call forth an intense bolt of lightning, and metal is one of the best conductors of electricity…I'll be truly impressed if your survive this." I drew another cross on the gaping wound on my shoulder. _This ought to help…_Generalmon promptly fell to his knees. Steam billowed forth from the gaps in his armor from the electrical attack he had just endured.

"Generalmon…has been defeated?" Michalis asked breathlessly. "Why didn't we help him, Sephyrus?!"

"He would not have accepted it," Sephyrus answered. "A Digimon that prideful…would never request help from anyone else." I sighed, and looked at the smoldering heap of armor kneeling before me. Generalmon's fingers twitched, but he remained still.

_But he's still here, meaning he's still alive. All I need to do is…_ I tried picking myself up off the ground, but to my surprise, my right arm wouldn't move. _Oh, no…did my spell not work? My arm can't move! Why won't the spell work?!_ A loud clanging took me out of my thoughts, and I turned my head to see Generalmon's arm slowly reaching for his axe. The seven holes on his helmet's visor emitted a bright red glare.

"You…will…perish!" he hissed.

"Not today, I'm afraid!" I quickly tore his axe out from his grasp and easily hefted it above my head. _Geez, I'll bet this thing weighs more than Zelda, Chrissy, and me _combined_!_ Generalmon's helmet slowly moved as the Digimon looked up at me. "You won't be getting revenge on _anyone_…Generalmon!" With but one swing of his axe, I sliced Generalmon's head clean off. The Digimon's blood came spurting out of his open neck hole, splattering across the front of my body. _Good thing I'm still only wearing my bikini; this would take forever to get out of my clothes!_ The blood on my hands I immediately licked off as Generalmon's headless body fell forward onto the ground before dissipating.

"And so, another Digimon returns to the endless abyss that is the Dark Area," Sephyrus lamented. I was surprised by his sudden comment, and I had forgotten both he and Michalis were still nearby. "Perhaps—"

"Wow, Generalmon's blood tastes _amazing_!" I interrupted, not really paying attention to the Bio Hybrids as I continued lapping up the blood that had stained my breasts, belly, and arms.

"…You scare me now," Michalis said. "And I was already kind of afraid of her before, since she's…so…_pretty_…"

"Want to try some?" I held my finger up close to Michalis's lips, which quickly turned pale as he turned away.

"Let's go, old man," Michalis said somewhat weakly.

"Yes; we must report what has happened to Lilithmon," Sephyrus said.

"What…did happen?" Michalis asked. "I can't think clearly ever since that witch started licking up all of that blood…"

* * *

**Zelda**

"Show me the true might of your convictions," the swordsman said. "Will you fight me to save the man you love…or will you avoid conflict so as not to see bloodshed?"

"No matter how many times you ask, my answer will always be the same," I replied. "For bringing harm to him…for threatening his life…I'll make you hurt. I'll make you _pay_!"

"Then prove it to me!" the swordsman lunged forth, and I held up Thomas's sword vertically to protect myself. The blades of the swordsman bounced up and slightly grazed my shoulders. I swung Thomas's sword at the man, but he had already jumped out of the way before I could move.

_Wow! This sword…it doesn't weigh very much! I just hope I'll be able to use it well. I just need to remember how Thomas used it…_ As I was lost in thought, one of the man's blades whizzed past my head, making a thin cut form on my left cheek.

"Fighting you…it is no challenge," he said. "I hold back, and still you do not retaliate."

"You…you're not even trying, are you…"

"If I had wanted you dead without the fight, I could have easily done so by now!" the other of the man's swords flew through the air just above my head, very narrowly missing me as I ducked. I again swung Thomas's sword, and though the man attempted to jump back, I made contact with his right thigh. His blood stained the sword's polished surface, and my heart ached with a twinge of regret as the man's face contorted with pain as his blood hit the sand.

_Get a grip, Zelda! You knew it would come to this!_ I swung again at the man's broad chest, leaving a thin stream of blood leaking out and down his stomach and staining his clothes. Through the pain, I saw him smile with a mild amusement.

"Good…for one with no experience in inflicting pain, it seems you are quite skilled," he said. "This might actually prove to be quite entertaining after all."

"Entertainment? Is _that_ why you're here?!" I asked. "You're risking your own _life_ just for a chance to become less bored?!"

"Not…entirely," he replied. "As I said when we met, only one wielding a sword can defeat me, and after each death comes my rebirth, and with each rebirth, the memories of my previous life vanish without a trace, never to return."

_Rebirth…what does he mean by that? He isn't a normal Human…is he?_

"_That_ is why I chose to fight you," the man continued. "Without any swordsmen or women around to vanquish me, my memories will never be erased. Is it so wrong to want a few memories of my own before I die permanently, whenever that may be?"

"…No. No, there's nothing wrong with wanting memories," I said. "Every memory I have since joining Lachesis is very precious to me. But you…you threaten the life of the person I have the most precious memories with just to get them! As a member of Lachesis, I refuse to let that go unpunished!" The man lunged at me again, but this time, I was prepared; this time, as he approached me, I thrusted Thomas's sword forward, and it became stuck in the man's left shoulder. Once more, the man's face became twisted in pain and agony. The fingers on his left hand unclenched, and the sword he had held fell into the sand.

"You are quite proficient with that sword," he said. "However…that man is why I am here. If I am to live on, that man must fall!" The man shoved me out of the way and picked up his dropped sword with his right hand, which he immediately hurled in Thomas's and Renamon's direction. The weapon flew through the air with peerless speed toward the two, and had Renamon not shoved Thomas out of the way at the last second, either one of them would have gotten hit.

"Tommy, Renamon, are you two okay?!" The man's sword fell to the ground, kicking up small amounts of sand and dust when it landed.

"Yes, we're fine," Renamon said.

"What happened?" Thomas asked. I turned and glared at the swordsman; his uninjured arm was raised, and he was prepared to attack once more. The sympathy and regret from making the man feel pain that had earlier filled my heart instantly vanished, and in its place came the unfamiliar emotion of rage. The expression on the man's face was absolutely sickening; he looked so calm, as if he didn't care if anyone here died. The rage I felt only intensified as I glared into his eyes; there was a look of bloodlust in them that told me he truly would have killed the most innocent child without provocation. It all happened so slowly in my mind; the man brought his sword arm down as I brought mine up. The tip of his blade nicked my forehead. No blood came out, though I doubt I would have noticed; my attention was solely on the vile man before me. Thomas's blade had become stuck in the man's wrist. The man's other sword dropped onto the beach as he looked at his hand, which had become pale from the lack of blood. I removed the sword, and he immediately placed a tight grip around his bleeding wrist. He was completely unarmed, and unable to defend himself. In spite of this, I attacked him again, cutting him across his face. He stared at me in surprise as I attacked him once again, and again, and again. His blood was flying through the air — most of it ended up on me — and though he had fallen to his knees, not even begging for mercy, I didn't let up. My body wouldn't let me, but I didn't try to stop it. Again and again, I struck him with the sword, as if releasing all the pent-up rage from my entire life. The man had soon fallen to his back, and I continued stabbing him in the chest until I felt a hand firmly clasp my shoulder.

"Slow down there, sweetheart." In my wrathful stupor, I turned around and nearly attacked the person behind me with the sword. "What, you're trying to kill _me_, now?" Luna asked. As soon as I saw her, the blade slipped out of my fingers. My eyes instantly became filled with tears as I saw my reflection in her golden eyes, drenched with blood, both my own and the swordsman's. But what got to me the most was that look of rage and hatred I had in my own eyes, on my face.

_No…Is that…Is that really me…?!_All at once, the spiteful emotions I had grown accustomed to feeling vanished. My grief at the realization that I had killed a man hit my heart hard like a charging Monochromon. I was overcome with a horrible nausea so intense I feared my stomach would be ripped to pieces as I looked down at the dying man beneath me.

"You ok?" Luna offered me her hand and helped me up off the ground.

"Not…not bad…" the man said, coughing up blood. "Next time…it will be easier…"

_No…No, I don't want to get used to this!_

"Well…that's one more death for me…I wonder if I will…remember any of this when I am reborn?" the man asked.

"So…who is this guy?" Luna asked.

"…Don't know. Wonder about that myself," he replied, before fading away in a similar manner to the Digimon when they die.

"Are you okay, Zelda?" Thomas asked.

"Oh…yeah…I'm fine…" I absentmindedly stroked my cheek where I had been cut earlier and examined the blood. Luna bent over and licked the blood clean off my fingers, but I barely noticed. My heart was still beating rapidly, my palms were soaked with blood and sweat, and tears clouded my vision. "Did I…did I do the right thing, Renamon?"

"You were only trying to protect Thomas," Renamon said. "Granted, things did get a little hectic near the end, and I would have stopped you earlier, but you told me to stay with Thomas…So…" Renamon nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "I guess…I should be asking _you_ that."

"What happened?" Luna asked gently.

"That man came, and he…and he wanted to fight Thomas, and he did at first, but Thomas got hurt, so I fought him instead…" The tears had begun rolling down my cheeks, mixing with the blood. "He…he tried to kill us, and he…he almost…did…"

"He was clearly a skilled swordsman," Renamon said. "You ought to be proud that you were able to protect your friends."

"_Proud?!_ I…I hurt him! Killed him! _Why should I be proud of that?!_" I burst into tears as I spoke. Luna pulled me into a warm and, in spite of the blood that covered her, very comforting embrace.

"…So, Generalmon's dead," Luna suddenly said.

"Oh…How did…that work out?" Thomas asked, clearly caught off guard by Luna's statement.

"Well, he put up a good fight, but he was no match for me, of course," the witch said.

"And the Medallion?" Thomas asked.

"What about it?"

"Did you get it back?"

"…Ffffffffuck!"

"Don't worry about it, Luna; we do still have the Stone," Thomas reminded her. "Also, they don't seem to know that the Sword was also taken."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Well, now that all of this is over with, we should head back to the villa," Luna said. "I hate to say it, Thomas, but you're going to have to wait until we get back to Yew for me to make a potion for you to see again. The five different territories of Celosia each have their own unique way of studying and using magic as part of their cultures, and I'm only familiar with Valencia's way of doing it."

"That's okay; I'm already kind of used to it by now."

"Renamon, do you think you could help me get these two back to the villa?" Luna asked.

"I would be happy to," the Digimon Spirit said.


	66. Lost Heart

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**3 Days**

As I awoke the next morning, I opened my eyes slowly, as they had grown unaccustomed to the light during the few days that I was blind. _Well, at least Luna's potion worked. Better by morning, just as she said._ Lying on my bed beside me was Zelda. She lay on her side, facing me, and her eyes were open as well, though she didn't notice that I was awake until I reached over and gently began stroking the side of her face. Startled, she flinched away slightly, but she began smiling when she saw that I was awake.

"Good morning," she said softly. "Can you see now?"

"Yes; Luna's potion worked exactly as well as she said it would," I said. Zelda smiled her usual radiant and beautiful smile, but after a moment, it disappeared as her face returned to its original solemn, almost lachrymose expression. "Are you okay?" I asked. "You look like you're about to cry…"

"Oh…no, it's…nothing," she said, forcing herself to smile. "Really…I'm fine…"

"Is it about what happened back in Shendu Territory?"

Once again, her smile vanished. Her eyes closed, and she slowly nodded. "I…I'm not sorry that I did it…that I stepped up to protect you when you needed me to. But that man…when I was attacking him over and over like that, I just…couldn't stop…It was as if I was being controlled by all my anger, all my hatred…and I killed him. I know he said his deaths weren't permanent like how a normal Human's were, but I just can't…I can't get these feelings of dread to leave my heart, no matter how many times I tell myself that. And then, when I saw my reflection in Luna's eyes, and I saw myself covered with all of that blood, and I saw all of that rage on my face, in my eyes…I really felt as though the dread and nausea together would have killed me. I…I never want to look like that again!" Her eyes began to well with tears, but none of them slipped out. "Thomas…was that…what it was like that the first time you killed someone?"

"I think…it might be different for different people," I said after a moment's thought. "Before I left Cyclamen City with Victoria, I had been alone for so long that loneliness had hardened my heart. I guess…that never really left me. The first time I killed anyone was while I was still training with Victoria, sometime after I had found Statuedramon. The man I killed was a lone bandit, and so I was able to easily kill him before he had hurt anyone. When he fell to the ground…all I felt was relief; relief to know that he hadn't hurt anyone else; relief that I had escape unscathed. Victoria…she was so proud of me for what I had done to protect the people of that small village. I remember it all very clearly; she hugged me so tightly…she kissed me on the forehead…That's why I'm able to kill so effortlessly…each time I do, I am reminded of the relief I felt from saving everyone that day, and the warmth of Victoria's embrace that followed. But you…you had been alone for far longer than I had, and treated with far more cruelty than I could even begin to fathom, and yet you are still so pure of heart. You are a kind and gentle person; the nicest I have ever known. The emotions you felt when you killed him were quite natural for someone of your delicate temperament, and they are nothing to be ashamed of." I reached over and stroked her face once again, and I ran my fingers through her golden, silky hair. "If you ever need to talk about it some more, I'll always be here for you."

"Thank you…Thomas…" Zelda took my hand and kissed the back of it. "I feel better, though, after hearing you. Thank you."

"Happy to help," I smiled.

"…So…what was it like to be blind?" Zelda asked.

"It was…very…dark," I replied. "The worst part about it…was that I couldn't see your smile, your eyes…and I didn't get very long to see you in a bikini, either. I'm quite disappointed about that."

Zelda giggled. "Well…if you'd like…I can show you again sometime," she said softly. "If you'd like…"

"I would like that very much," I smiled. We continued to lie in bed for a few brief moments, staring into each other's eyes until someone lightly knocked on the bedroom door.

"Are you two awake yet?" Apollomon asked from the other side of the door.

"Yes, sir."

"Pheragas, BlackGaomon, and Dianamon have returned. Come down as soon as you are able to." Zelda and I glanced at each other with curiosity before climbing out of bed.

* * *

**10 Minutes**

"You _both_ lost the Horcruxes?!" Statuedramon exclaimed. "How the fuck did _that_ happen?!"

"I couldn't really tell you, Statch; it happened so fast," Dianamon said. "One minute, I was standing in the Savage Prairie, and the next, I was flat on my back, one step away from being knocked unconscious."

"It vas de same vith me," Pheragas added. "BlackGaomon and I vere at Lake Viscaria ven ve vere attacked from behind again."

"I feel so pathetic," BlackGaomon said. "That's _twice_ that, because of _me_, a Horcrux was taken…"

"Don't feel so bad," Apollomon said. "I'm glad you're all back safely after having been attacked by the Bio Hybrids.

"They couldn't have been attacked by the Bio Hybrids," I said.

"Vu else vould have attacked us, den?" Pheragas asked.

"Well, _we_ were attacked by the Bio Hybrids, too," Luna said. "Both of them, actually. In fact, they released Generalmon from the Dark Area, and if I weren't there to stop him, he would've destroyed Acacia City."

"So, are we to assume that the individual or individuals involved in the theft of the sword are to be involved?" Apollomon asked.

"If you put all _that_ information together, that's the only thing that makes sense," Luna agreed.

"And you say that Generalmon has been defeated?"

"Killed him myself."

"And the swordsman that Zelda fought…has he any connection to the Horcruxes?" Dianamon asked.

"I don't think so…The only thing he seemed to be interested in was fighting Thomas," Zelda said. "No mention of the Horcruxes, the Bio Hybrids, or of Lilithmon came up during our fight."

"Who was that guy, anyway?" Statuedramon asked.

"He didn't tell us," I said. "Rather, he didn't know himself."

"…In any case, with the Medallion of the Crescent Moon taken, along with the Wolf's Flute and the Clairvoyant's Mirror, that leaves only two Horcruxes we have yet to go for," Apollomon said. "One of them lies deep in Lotisea Jungle, and the other far to the north in Nymphaea."

"So, we either have the option of getting lost forever in the forest, or freezing to death in the tundra," Statuedramon said. "Wonderful."

"Not much choice there," BlackGaomon said.

"Nevertheless, I propose we go after the one in Lotisea; we've been there many times before, and we'll have a better chance of finding the Horcrux without a blizzard hindering us," I said.

"Thomas is correct; the Horcrux in Lotisea would be the ideal one for us to locate first," Apollomon said. "I am fairly certain the Bio Hybrids would also want to save the one in the harshest province for last."

"So, where in the jungle is this Horcrux located? Somewhere far away, right?" Statuedramon asked.

"And what is it?" I added.

"This Horcrux, the Mask of Ages Past…is in a place the two of you have been to before," Apollomon said. "It has been a little over two years since you have been there…to Deckerdramon's Temple."

"_That_ old place?! There wasn't anything of value _there_!" Statch exclaimed.

"Then MirageGaogamon was right in hiding the Mask there, if you and Thomas were unable to find it."

"…Or, maybe it was already been taken by the time we arrived," I suggested.

"Indeed; that is why you and Statuedramon should depart as soon as possible," Apollomon said.

"As usual," Statch added dryly.

"Um…What…about me?" Zelda asked shyly.

"Zelda…you are clearly under a lot of stress over whatever it was that happened to you in Shendu Territory," Dianamon said in a concerned voice. "I understand that you do not want to talk about it with us, but the fact is that those events are clearly weighing heavily on your conscience. Until you have everything sorted out, Apollomon and I think it would be best for you if you were to stay behind. The decision is up to you, dear, but that is the course of action I would strongly recommend."

Zelda turned to look at me. Her sapphire eyes bore deeply into mine, as if asking me what I thought she should do.

"This time, it would be safer for her to remain behind," Apollomon said. "None of us wishes to see her get hurt."

"I…I'll stay," Zelda said.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

She nodded, smiling at me. "I wouldn't…want to get in your way. I'm sorry…"

"Don't worry about it. You just stay here and get some rest, and I'll see you when I get back," I said. "I love you, Zelda."


	67. Courage and Beauty

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Lotisea Jungle**

**4 Days**

"According to this map, we should be arriving at Deckerdramon's Temple shortly," Statuedramon said.

"And since when do you know how to read a map?" I asked.

"Pheragas taught me a few days ago." The Rookie Digimon stopped briefly and looked at the compass he held before walking again.

_Wow. He actually looks like he knows what he's doing. We haven't even gotten lost once, and he hasn't walked into a single tree…yet._

"Okay, do you see those big trees up ahead? After we pass them, we'll have reached the temple," Statuedramon said.

"Halt!" An electrical attack shot down from the trees and struck the forest floor, just inches away from where Statuedramon stood. The attack made Statch leap into the air with surprise, and I looked up to see where the attack came from. "Who goes there?!"

"Hey, if you're going to attack us and ask us who we are, the least you could do is show yourself!" Statuedramon said. After a brief moment of silence, the sound of an insect Digimon's wings buzzing filled the air, and soon, standing before us was a Digimon I recognized as JewelBeemon.

"This area is sacred, and trespassers are not permitted," JewelBeemon said. "Leave immediately, or I will be forced to make you leave."

"Wanna bet?!" Statch asked.

"_Statuedramon, don't antagonize him!_" I whispered.

"But we've been here before!" he whined. "We weren't treated like this _last_ time!"

"Last time? You two have been here before? Then…might the two of you be Thomas and Statuedramon?" JewelBeemon asked.

"Yes, sir, that is us," I said. "I apologize for any inconvenience the two of us may have caused…"

"…I suppose this is what comes of being a guard to the royal temple; everyone seems like an enemy," JewelBeemon said. "It seems my solitude has driven common courtesy from me. Please, come with me into the city."

"Oh…Thank you, sir," I said. JewelBeemon turned around and began leading us the rest of the way through the forest and into the city Statch and I had visited roughly two years ago. Nothing about the city seemed to have changed; the buildings and roads were all constructed of white marble, giving the city an ancient look to it similar to the one Mandala had. Humans and Digimon casually walked around the peaceful streets with carefree looks on their faces.

"Even today, I find it difficult to believe that this city was nearly destroyed by that vicious group of cutthroats," JewelBeemon said. "If not for the two of you, these innocent civilians would not be living the lives they have now. I thank you two from the bottom of my heart."

Every way I turned, there was a Human or Digimon, gaping at the two of us in awe, waving, or both. It had been a long while since the two of us were welcomed as we were by the joyous passersby of a peaceful settlement, and nearly as long since coming upon a village that still had people living within its borders.

"It seems that, because of what you have done for them, they have come to revere you two as heroes," JewelBeemon said.

"No matter how many times it happens, I don't think I'll ever get used to being treated as such," Statuedramon said.

"So, what brings you here today?"

"We're looking for something, actually," I said. "We need to find a mask."

"A mask? You'll find none in the city, I'm afraid."

"But…there just has to be!" Statuedramon said. "And we need to find it before some very bad people do!"

"…It isn't here," JewelBeemon insisted. "Do either of you know the dogma that we of Lotisea live by?" Neither of us said anything. "There are two aspects of life that we here believe transcend all others…courage…and beauty…The courage to protect what truly matters, and the beauty of life itself. The teachings of these two aspects are divided among the two genders. Our young males are trained on the finer aspects of courage, as courage without wisdom is foolishness, and courage without direction is far worse. Our young females are trained to have a love and appreciation of all life on Arcadia, no matter how evil it may appear to be. Everyone here, for the most part, strictly adheres to these teaching, but, as to be expected, there are a few who do not. Men who show a selfish cowardice in the face of danger, choosing to save themselves over others…women who are impure of heart and soul, choosing not to honor and respect the values of life…In our beliefs, there is no worse crime to commit. Those who do commit these crimes are punished, and forced to wear a mask. A man who acts as a coward…will be forced to hide his face in shame like a craven, and a woman who is not beautiful — and by that, I mean of heart and soul, and not her face — will also be forced to wear such a mask to cover her eyes to prevent others from peering into her unclean soul, as we believe the eyes to be windows to a person's soul."

"Wait, so…do you guys have masks here or not?!" Statuedramon asked.

"We do, but there are none in the city, as I said," JewelBeemon continued. "They are kept in Deckerdramon's Temple with our ruler, King Earh." JewelBeemon suddenly stopped walking. "Our king…_he_ wears a mask."

"Is he a coward?"

"_Statuedramon!_"

"…Our king is the one who decides who is to be punished by wearing a mask, and yet he himself wears one…Thomas, why are you looking for this mask?"

"This mask houses a portion of the soul of an evil Digimon, and we need to find it before some evil people release that Digimon from the Dark Area, using that mask. The mask, while it still has the Digimon's soul in it, is called a Horcrux, and it also gives its holder a small part of that Digimon's abilities."

"…That's it. That's the mask you seek. The Mask of King Earh is the one you search for."

I stopped walking abruptly. "That's quite an accusation to make," I said. "Are you certain?"

"…It has to be the one he wears," JewelBeemon said. "Why else would our king, our leader, wear a mask? In addition, there are many rumors going around that King Earh is not our rightful king, and that he took the throne forcefully from the true king or queen."

"How is he as a ruler?" Statuedramon asked.

"…I am not supposed to say a thing like this…But King Earh…is the worst. He isn't an especially cruel person, and he doesn't derive pleasure from hurting others, but he…is very demanding and pushy, and he can be perceived as selfish and arrogant, depending on whom you ask. Above all, he isn't cut out to be a ruler of any kind."

"Well, should we go speak with him?" I asked. "If his is the mask we seek, we must get it away from him as soon as possible…"

"And if it's not?" Statch asked.

"Then we won't have to worry about fighting Sephyrus and Michalis to get it from him."

"The king sits atop the throne in Deckerdramon's Temple," JewelBeemon said. "Come with me; I'll take you to see him."


	68. The Mask of King Earh

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Deckerdramon's Temple**

**Lotisea Province**

"Up ahead is the king's throne," JewelBeemon whispered, stopping in front of a marble column. "I would like to remind you that, even though we _suspect_ his mask might be the one you seek, there is no guarantee that it is, so do not get your hopes up. Also, make sure you do nothing to…_offend_ His Royal Highness." JewelBeemon looked directly at Statuedramon, and the Rookie Digimon's eyes shifted nervously. "Let me do the talking; King Earh is very…particular about whom he speaks to, so I am more likely to succeed, but that doesn't mean I _will_ succeed."

JewelBeemon left the cover provided by the column and approached the throne, kneeling, while Statch and I watched from behind the marble column. "My liege; please, hear my humble request."

"What is it you desire, JewelBeemon?" came the reply. The voice sounded rather bored, almost impatient, but not quite irritated. It was almost tempting to take a look at him, but I did not wish to reveal our position and cause any unnecessary uproar that may ensue, so I made certain that we both remained hidden.

"Some friends of mine; they seek something very valuable. It is an item of great importance, one that will put its owner in great peril if he or she refuses to relinquish it into the hands of my friends. We believe…this object may be in _your_ possession, Milord."

_Wow, he's a good speaker… _

"Okay, JewelBeemon; you've got my attention," the king said. His voice sounded a bit more worried. "What is it you seek?"

"Your mask, Milord."

"…What?!"

"Forgive my impertinence, Milord, but we have reason to believe that the mask you wear could pose a threat to your life," JewelBeemon continued. "As a guard of the royal temple — and, of course, His Royal Highness — it is of great importance that I…"

"That you…_what_?! Go on, JewelBeemon; say it!" his voice rose in anger.

"Milord, I must ask that I…take your mask. But only for your own protection, sir!"

"Absurd! Absolutely ridiculous!" he snapped. "Call those friends of yours over here!"

"At once, sir!" Statuedramon and I walked up behind the Ultimate Digimon. The king sat atop a large throne whose back was against a wall, and with the mask he wore, it was impossible to tell what mood he was in. He wore a large black cloak that covered his entire body. The room itself was square-shaped and surrounded with marble columns, and there was an opening in the ceiling, presumably for flying Digimon to use. It seemed as though nearly every area of the temple was still outdoors. Standing next to the king was a Butterflymon.

"So…_these_ be the whelps that request my mask?!" King Earh asked. "And what do you want it for, I wonder?"

"It is as JewelBeemon says, Milord; leaving the mask in your possession will prove to be very dangerous," I said.

"Two evil Humans that can turn into Digimon are coming for it!" Statuedramon said. "Well, it's not the mask itself, but what's _inside_ the mask that those two are coming here for!"

"Humans turning into Digimon?! How ridiculous!" Earh stood up and walked over to us. He was a tall and large man, reaching nearly the height of JewelBeemon, but his cloak and mask kept any part of his body from being seen. "I ought to throw the two of you in the dungeon right now for…well…Just because your story is so ridiculous and I say so!"

"Sir, we don't actually have any dungeons here," Butterflymon said.

"We don't? Oh…well…I guess you two get off lucky, then! Now, get out of my sight before I decide to let somebody execute you!"

"_We should go_," JewelBeemon whispered, grabbing our arms and taking flight, flying us out of the room. In a few moments, we landed at the entrance of the temple.

"Damn it; why didn't he give us that mask?!" Statuedramon said. "That stupid, useless, son of a—"

"There is no point in lamenting the past, Statch," I said. After being hoisted into the air by the Ultimate Digimon, I had to readjust my coat. "It seems to be highly unlikely that we'll actually get the mask at the current moment. The only thing we can do is wait for the Bio Hybrids to arrive and drive them off. Maybe then, King Earh will believe us and give us the mask willingly…"

"And even then, you'll have a slim chance of getting it," JewelBeemon added.

"Yeah, but still…JewelBeemon? Are you…okay?" Statch asked. The Insect Digimon's head was moving around rapidly, as if he were looking for something. "JewelBeemon?"

"Spike Buster!" JewelBeemon turned around and tossed his spear into the shadows, striking the outer wall of the temple.

"Ouch!" said a raspy but familiar voice from the shadows. "That was rude, damn it! I haven't even done anything…yet." The shadows began moving on their own until they took the shape of a lizard.

"BioPremenitmon!" Statch exclaimed.

"Nothing gets past you, does it?" From the shadows, the Bio Hybrid that Statch called out emerged. "I've been looking for the mask for a few days now, but I haven't been able to find out which one it is. There are just so many in this damned temple," BioPremenitmon said. "Of course…that was before _you_ two arrived. Thanks to you, Thomas, I now know which mask I need to free Horusmon!"

"…Did you guys take the Sword?" I asked.

"The Sword? I thought you…got to it first," BioPremenitmon said.

"The Mirror and the Flute were also taken; were you two the ones who took them?" I asked.

"…So, it really _wasn't_ you who's been taking them…" BioPremenitmon sighed. "It seems that there's someone else that's claiming the Horcruxes as their own besides our two groups."

"Someone…else?" I asked

"Claw of Phantasms!" yelled BioPremenitmon.

I barely had enough time to draw my sword before BioPremenitmon swung his claws at me. Though my weapon was able to stop his attack just in time, I was still knocked down when my side was struck by his thick tail, an act which caught me off guard long enough for the Bio Hybrid to shove me to the ground. My entire torso throbbed with the pain of being hit and falling to the ground. "You've been a pain in my ass for the longest time, Thomas!" BioPremenitmon wrapped his claws around my neck.

"Get off of him!" Statuedramon yelled as I heard him draw his sword. I tried to move, but the Bio Hybrid shoved my body against the wall. His palm dug into my throat, and when I tried to draw breath, he would press down harder.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" BioBeelzemon swooped down from the trees, landing between me and Statuedramon. "You wouldn't want your pal's head to be blown off, would ya?"

"You two will die…right here and now!" Statch yelled.

"When we…first met," I said. The Bio Hybrid's hand was wrapped tightly around my neck, making it difficult to speak. "You were…a priest. That…orphan girl…Larraine…you were so kind to her…"

"It was only part of the job. I had no _real_ affection for the wretch," BioPremenitmon said.

"If she could…" I croaked.

"'See me now…what would she think of the man who had treated her with such kindness saying such horrible things about her…' Was that what you were going to say?" BioPremenitmon interrupted. "But you see…That's something that will forever remain unknown. The girl is no more; whether she was eaten alive by a SkullScorpiomon or starved to death and buried under all the sand of Cyprus Desert…I highly doubt she's capable of thinking anything anymore."

"BioPremenitmon, stop wasting time; we need to get that mask!" BioBeelzemon said, turning his head to face us. "Kill him or don't kill him; just make up your mind!"

"Spike Buster!" JewelBeemon thrust his spear into BioBeelzemon's left arm. The Bio Hybrid dropped the gun he held in his right hand and wrapped his claws around JewelBeemon's spear, attempting to remove it from his arm. The grip around my neck loosened as BioPremenitmon turned to look at his comrade; I took a shuddering breath and grabbed my sword, striking the Bio Hybrid across the neck. The wound, however, was not very deep, and blood fell out in minute drops. His eyes widened in pain and his fists clenched as he endured the pain, until I delivered a sharp kick to his stomach and knocked him over.

"I told you to hurry up!" BioBeelzemon shouted.

"Shut up! Let's just go and get the mask before it's too late!" BioPremenitmon said. "Claw of Phantasms!" BioPremenitmon's claws tore through JewelBeemon's spear and sliced it into several small pieces. The two Bio Hybrids ran into the temple, leaving behind a trail of blood drops as we followed them. We followed the trail all the way into King Earh's throne room, where we were greeted by a huge cannon aimed at our faces.

"Corona Blaster!"

"Guys, look out!" JewelBeemon jumped in front of us just in time for BioBeelzemon's attack to strike his right arm.

"JewelBeemon!" I yelled.

"That…is for getting in our way!" BioBeelzemon said, beginning his walk to the throne. The Ultimate Digimon's arm had been severely burnt and blackened.

"JewelBeemon, are you okay?!" Statch asked.

"Yes…I…I will be fine," The Insect Digimon said. "Just go! Get the mask…and if you can…if you feel that you must…protect the king…"

"What is the meaning of this?!" Earh's booming voice echoed through the room. "Who are you two?!"

"Oh, I think you know who we are," BioPremenitmon said. "We've come…for your mask."

"My mask?! Absurd! If I wouldn't relinquish it to one of my own bodyguards, what makes you think I'll give it to _you_?!"

"Because I would be more than happy to use force to get what I want."

"H—How dare you speak to me in such a way! Have you any idea who I am?!"

"Oh, we know everything about you, King Earh," BioBeelzemon said. "That is…_if_ you really are the rightful king of this place."

"O—Of course I am! Why would I sit on this throne if I weren't a king?!"

"Let me tell you a little story," BioPremenitmon said. "Once upon a time, there lived a perfectly normal man in a city in the forest. One day, the man got greedy and decided to take something he had no right taking…the king's throne. With the special powers of a certain mask he found, he forced the king and his family out of their temple and claimed the throne as his own…over one hundred years ago."

"W—What are you saying?" Earh asked. "You…know? How could you know?!"

"Sir, what are they saying?" Butterflymon asked.

"In the year 631, Earh found a mask that allowed him to control time itself, and ever since then, he's used it to keep himself young and forever the king of this city," BioPremenitmon said. "He refuses to take it off because once he does, he _will_ die! That is the price one must pay to use the Mask of Ages Past for as long as _you_ have, Earh!"

"So, how do you want this to be?" BioBeelzemon asked. "Do you want us to kill you while wearing the mask? Or do you want to take the mask off and die?"

"No…no, I don't want to die! I don't deserve to!"

"You don't _deserve_ to?! Of course you do!" BioPremenitmon said. "Who was it that took the throne he had no right taking?! Who was it that used the powers of a Horcrux he had no right using?!"

"Enough of this! You threaten the life of my king, and I will not tolerate it!" Butterflymon jumped between Earh and the Bio Hybrids. "Sweet Pheromone!"

"Out of my way!" BioPremenitmon shoved Butterflymon aside and thrust the sharp end of his ankh into her stomach, instantly killing her.

"No…no, please, I don't want to—"

"Enough simpering! It won't help you where _you're_ going!" BioPremenitmon grabbed the front of Earh's shirt and, with his other hand, removed the mask that covered his face. As the mask was removed, Earh's flesh promptly melted away, followed by the muscles and sinew until only his skeleton was left, falling to the ground discarded as a piece of trash before promptly turning to dust and flying away in a breeze.. "Horusmon, I call to you from the other side!" BioPremenitmon began speaking in the ancient language, and the mask in his hand began to glow.

"Stop him! Before another Digimon comes from the Dark Area!" I shouted.

"Double Impact!" BioBeelzemon fired his shotguns at the ground, inches away from hitting Statch and me. "You two ain't going _anywhere_ near Sephyrus!"

"What do we do?!" Statch asked.

"There's nothing you _can_ do…except watch and wait!" BioBeelzemon snickered.

"It is done! Horusmon is freed!" The entire room became cloaked in a bright light for a brief moment. When it dissipated, I saw a tall, hawk-headed Digimon standing before us, glaring down.


	69. The Cursed Woods

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Deckerdramon's Temple**

**Lotisea Province**

Horusmon glared down at Statch and me; his red eyes were glowing, and it seemed as though he were peering into our souls. He was quite large and made an imposing first impression, with his muscular arms crossed across his broad chest. The two of us stared up and into his eyes, and I calmly placed a hand over my sword hilt, ready to fight.

"You have been freed, oh mighty Horusmon," Sephyrus said.

"I am aware," Horusmon said, his gaze never shifting from us. "Where is Lilithmon? There are things I must say to her."

"She…could not make it here, I'm afraid."

"Is that so…Tell me, are you two the ones responsible for the deaths of my brethren?" Horusmon asked.

"Yeah…that was us," Statuedramon said. He spoke in a low voice, and I could see that he had taken a step back. I, too, was nervous, but I kept my ground. Horusmon grinned, which looked quite odd for one with a beak.

"It is a pleasure to meet the two of you." Horusmon bent down on one knee before us. "Murdering my brethren…it must not have been an easy task."

"Horusmon, what are you doing?!" BioBeelzemon asked. Kneeling before us, he was still taller than even I, but just barely. He looked deep into my eyes, and I could clearly see the honesty of his words.

"I want you to know…that I truly respect the two of you," Horusmon said. "People like you…who fight with all your heart and soul to do what you believe is the right thing to do…I harbor no ill will against you. However, it seems as though that I will be forced to destroy you if I want freedom for not only myself, but my allies as well."

"Yeah?! Just…just try and stop us!" Statuedramon said. On cue, I drew and brandished my sword at the tall Digimon, who jumped back to avoid being hit.

"I'll do my best!" Emitting a loud, bird-like shriek, Horusmon opened his beak as he took flight, and a ball of black flames formed in his mouth. "Ebon Flames of Purgatory!" From the sphere, Horusmon unleashed a thick stream of black flames that filled the entire room and shrouded it in their darkness.

"Thomas, get behind me!" I did as I was told, knowing my partner was a better match against the Mega Digimon, and Statuedramon held up his shield, which absorbed some of the flames spewed by the Mega Digimon. "Sword of Dragon's—" Suddenly, the flames came to an abrupt end, and Horusmon came soaring down close to us.

"Thunderous Judgment of Mighty Osiris!" Horusmon crossed his arms, and from the opening in the ceiling, a huge bolt of lightning descended towards us. I closed my eyes and breathed in, knowing what was coming next.

"Dimensional Shield!" Statch held up his shield, which absorbed the lightning bolt. "Sword of Dragon's Soul!" Statch's sword fired a yellow projection that directly struck Horusmon and completely enveloped his body in its electrical blast. Horusmon fell to the ground, his skin burned black and falling off, and the feathers on his wings ruffled up and spread across the room. "Wait…that did it?! Did we actually beat him _already_?!"

"Ha…not bad," Horusmon wheezed. "But this…is far from over…"

"We'll see about that!" Statuedramon shouted.

"Hathor's Gentle Embrace!" A spectral pair of feminine arms, adorned with jewelry, wrapped themselves around Horusmon's chest. The Mega Digimon became covered with a white light, and in a brief moment, his injuries disappeared, his skin returned to normal, and his feathers returned to their customary, sleek appearance.

"…Well…that sucks…" Statch said.

Horusmon turned his head toward the smaller Rookie. "While I am fighting for my friends, I will do whatever is necessary to ensure that our plans prevail! Ebon Flames of Purgatory!" Horusmon opened his beak once more, but before he could attack, JewelBeemon flew towards us and pulled us out of the way.

"JewelBeemon, what are you doing?" Statch asked.

"You should not have endangered yourself like that," I said as the tall Ultimate set us down on the ground several feet away from Horusmon.

"I apologize…but I just couldn't stand…just _watching_ my friends fight anymore," JewelBeemon wheezed. "But this time…I'll fight alongside you, and there's nothing you can say to me to change my mind!"

"Stubborn jackass," Statch muttered.

"Admit it; he reminds you of someone, doesn't he?" I asked, thinking of the Digimon I was addressing.

"Hmm…nope."

"…Whatever. We appreciate your assistance, JewelBeemon," I bowed.

"Thank you, Thomas." JewelBeemon thrust his spear into the ground and glared at Horusmon. "You who rose from the depths of the Dark Area and defiles this honored sanctuary of light…You shall be purified! JewelBeemon Digivolve to, Zamielmon!"

"…The Wood-Spirit General," Horusmon said calmly. "Interesting…even with an injury such as that, you still aim to fight?" Horusmon glanced down at Zamielmon's blackened arm, which hung limply at the Digimon's side.

"It doesn't matter…because I _will_ defeat you, demon! The World Shot!" Zamielmon fired an enormous arrow that seemed to dwarf even the tall Horusmon in size. Horusmon, however, did not even look up. He held up his left arm and stopped the arrow with a single finger.

"_This_ is the coveted power of a Death General? Pathetic! Ebon Flames of Purgatory!" Before Horusmon could attack, the wall behind the king's throne opened up, revealing itself to be a doorway. Bright beams of light burst out from the door, obscuring all from sight.

"Smokey Fang!" As Horusmon turned around to see what was happening, he was greeted with a faceful of missiles, all of which exploded on impact and created a dense, smoky cloud that filled the room. The sound of heavy footsteps resonated, and as the smoke cleared, I saw Horusmon flat on his back, alive but appearing to be unconscious. Standing above him was an enormous Digimon.

"Deckerdramon…is that you?" I asked.

"Thomas…Statuedramon…how good to see you two again," Deckerdramon said. "What's it been…two years? What brings you two back to Lotisea, my old friends?"

"This Digimon," I pointed at Horusmon. "We've been trying to stop him and his evil buddies from being freed from the Dark Area."

"Freed from the Dark Area? That sounds bad. Not to mention impossible," Deckerdramon said. "But…if you two really are trying to do this, then it must really be true."

"Hathor's Gentle Embrace!" Horusmon began glowing once more, and in the blink of an eye, his injuries disappeared.

"And that's why he's not dead yet," Statch said. "Man, I _hate_ it when we have to fight enemies who can heal themselves!"

"You know, Statuedramon…the only way you can get around an ability like that," Deckerdramon began. "Is to hit them so hard the first time, they don't have the energy to do so. Observe; Crocodile Cannons!" From his back, Deckerdramon unleashed a barrage of missiles at the opposing Mega. Horusmon was instantly obliterated, and nothing was left of him when Deckerdramon's attack ended, save for a few stray ebon feathers. "And that's how it's done."

"Oh, sure; that may be easy for _you_ to do, but for those of us that _don't_ have missiles everywhere on their body, I think that would be a little difficult, don't you think?!" Statuedramon asked. Deckerdramon laughed.

"I suppose you make a fair point," he said.

"Oh, and by the way, King Earh is dead," Statch added.

"Earh? Who was that?" Deckerdramon asked. "I know every one of the royal family by name, and the name Earh is unfamiliar to me."

"…Sephyrus was right," I said. I glanced swiftly around the room as a dawning realization struck me. "Sephyrus! Damn it, they both got away! And they had the Mask, too!"

"That's okay; we've still got a lot of the Horcruxes," Statuedramon said.

"We only have the Stone! That means there's only one left to find!" A thought suddenly came to mind. "Deckerdramon…do you know anything about Horcruxes?"

"Horcruxes? Not much; why do you ask?"

"That Digimon, Horusmon, was freed from one, and so were his other allies; we've been going around the continent stopping some bad people from freeing the Digimon whose souls are attached to them, but even after we've finished killing the Digimon that was freed, they still take the time to retrieve the Horcruxes. Do you know why they might do that?"

"It's simple; even though the Digimon's soul might no longer be bound to the Horcrux after they have been freed from the Dark Area, the _traces_ of their soul still linger within the object. With that, the caster of the spell can use the soulless Horcruxes to open a gateway to the Dark Area. I…do not claim to know how _that_ is done, but I do know that is the only reason why they would possibly still be collecting the Horcruxes after their target Digimon was freed."

"A gate…to the Dark Area?!" Statch gasped.

"Yes; a gateway that will enable him or her to free the Digimon of the Dark Area," Deckerdramon continued. "If something like this ever occurs…Arcadia may never know light again."

"…We have to make sure they never get the Stone, and the Diadem if we can help it," I said.

"I'm afraid that's all the information I can give you on _that_ subject," Deckerdramon said. "However, if you need my help, do not hesitate to contact me; I will help you and Lachesis in any way I can."

"Thank you, Deckerdramon," I said.

"Count on…my support as well…" Zamielmon walked up to Deckerdramon, and turned back into JewelBeemon.

"JewelBeemon! Are you okay?!" I asked. "You shouldn't be walking around!"

"I'm…fine," JewelBeemon said. "It's just…a minor injury…I'll be fine in a day or so…

"No, you will not," Deckerdramon said. "That injury…that burn…I'm afraid your arm may never move again."

"Never move…again? But then…how will I…guard this place?" JewelBeemon asked.

"I'm afraid you cannot, in your condition," Deckerdramon said. "You will be required to resign."

"…Resign? But…"

"JewelBeemon…your life is more important than this job. Please…for your own safety…resign."

"…All right. I…resign. But…that doesn't mean I can't help out. Thomas…Statuedramon…whenever you come to request for Deckerdramon's help, expect some from me, too," JewelBeemon said. "It's…the least I can do…"

"JewelBeemon…" I began.

"We'll see you again soon," Statuedramon said.

"Uh…Excuse me…" A tall man dressed in yellow-green robes nervously walked up to us. He had long, silver hair, though in spite of its color, he looked quite youthful. "Is…has Earh been removed from the throne?"

"Yes, sir, he has," I said. "He was killed in doing so, but he has been removed nonetheless." The man bowed to me.

"You have my gratitude, sir," the man said.

"You…aren't you Lord Syra'an?" JewelBeemon asked. "Myrddin Syra'an? That is who you are, correct?"

"Yes, my friend," the man said in a pleasant voice. "I am…the rightful king of this fair city. Unfortunately, Earh had been on the throne for as long as I can remember…he had even banished my family from ever visiting the temple. But now…he is gone…"

"I am pleased to have been of service to you, Milord," I said, returning the man's bow.

"No…it is _I_ who is grateful," King Myrddin said. "What are your names?"

"My name is Thomas Kasuto, and this is Statuedramon. We work for a mercenary guild known as Lachesis."

"A guild, you say? That is very admirable," King Myrddin said. "I am forever indebted to the two of you, and your guild, Lachesis. Please…if there ever comes I time when I can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. I will do everything in my power to help your group, and I shall ensure that each and every one of my descendants knows of this debt as well."

"You are very gracious, Milord," I said. "We gratefully accept your generous offer, but if you'll excuse us, we must return home. Our guildmaster is expecting us."

"Of course, of course," Myrddin said politely. "I apologize to have kept you so long."

* * *

**Lotisea Jungle**

**3 Days**

"Just a few more twists and turns on this path, and we should be home in just a few hours," Statuedramon said.

"Our journey home is going by faster than our journey to the temple," I noted. As accustomed as I was to long journeys on foot, the careful maneuvering around the intertwined roots of the trees of Lotisea made our trip much more tiring than usual.

"Yeah…I wonder why that is?" Statch asked. "Damn it, what's with all of this fog?! It's the middle of the day, but it seems like it's getting thicker! And _why_ does it look like its blue?!"

I stopped walking._ It really is…blue!_ "Statuedramon…do you remember the last time we were here? With Ienzo?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Last time…you mentioned the rumor about this place?"

"You mean how the trees seem like they move around, and…oh. Oh. Oh, no…"

"Statuedramon…it seems that the rumors just might be true, after all," I said, looking around uncomfortably. The fog grew thicker. The trees' leaves rustled madly, and when the fog grew less thick, the trees looked as though they had, in fact, moved. None of them were in the same place as they had been.

"Thomas…you told me that this was only a rumor!" Statch said, his voice growing more and more panicked.

"Calm down."

"_You_ calm down! By the Goddess, we're going to get lost here forever! We're going to—"

"Statch, shut up!" I yelled. The fog was nearly gone by now and hung low to the forest floor.

"**Who are you? Why do you disturb the forest's slumber?!**"

"Oh my god!"

"Statch, calm down!" I hissed. _I think I know what Digimon this is…_

"**For disturbing the forest's slumber, I shall subject you to—**"

"Hold on just a minute…Cherrymon," I said.

"**…****You know of me?**"

"We did not come here to disturb anything," I replied.

"**My senses say otherwise.**" The fog vanished completely, and before we knew it, a colossal Cherrymon stood before us. "The scent of the Dark Area lingers upon the two of you. For the past several days, all across the continent, I have sensed the darkness of the Dark Area growing ever larger…and ever closer to swallowing up the entire world," Cherrymon said. "You two…are the ones responsible for the spread of darkness!"

"No, we're not! We're trying to _stop_ the darkness from spreading!" Statch yelled.

"There are two Humans who turn into Digimon; _they_ are the ones spreading the darkness," I said.

"Humans turning into _Digimon_?!" Cherrymon gasped. "That…that can't be…But with the spread of darkness…And you say you are _fighting_ the darkness?"

"Several Digimon from the Dark Area _have_ been called forth from the Dark Area, Cherrymon," I said. "We were there for some of them. But also…we fought against them. We sent them _back_ to the Dark Area."

"…Do you speak the truth?" Cherrymon asked.

"Yes, sir."

"…Very well. If it is as you say…then you may go," Cherrymon said. "But know _this_; if you have lied to me, the Illusion Mist will grow thicker and thicker…and you will never be able to leave these woods. You will be doomed to wander here for the rest of your life…until you _perish_. The Cursed Woods…that is where you now tread. And those are its rules. If you can abide by them, and escape…then you win. And you shall never again be bothered by the rules if you are to win but once." Fog surrounded Cherrymon once more, and he completely vanished from sight. Statuedramon looked up at me.

"…Well, _now_ what do we do?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" I asked back. "We did not lie, so we've nothing to worry about. Let us be on our way back home."

"Wait…are you sure about this?"

"Of course I am. You…believe that we're doing the right thing, don't you?" I asked.

"Well, yeah, but…I don't know…" he looked down at the ground. "I know _you_ are fighting back…but what about _me_? I can't even Digivolve…I just get in the way…"

"Statuedramon, that is not true," I whispered, bending down to look him in the eye. "There's no other Digimon I'd rather have as my Partner. You know that. You've gotten me out of more predicaments than I care to remember. Remember what Apollomon told you; what's important is not how well you fight, but _why_ you fight."

"…Yeah. Okay. Let's go. Thanks, buddy."

"Anytime, buddy."


	70. Conflicting Forces

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**1 Day**

"I _never_ want to see that damned jungle again as long as I live!" Statuedramon said rather loudly. "I must've tripped over those tree's roots a hundred times! And it's not even noon yet! And don't even get me started on that Cherrymon!"

"Look on the bright side, Statch; with Horusmon dead and the Mask retrieved, there should be no more reason for us to go there anymore," I said. _At least for now…_

At last we reached the villa, both of us hot, tired, and hungry. Upon opening the front door, the two of us walked in and entered the living room, where we saw Apollomon sitting alone on a couch.

"What took you two so long?" he asked.

"I apologize, sir; it seems the rumor about the Cursed Woods was true," I said. "It is the doing of a Cherrymon."

"…And you made it out _alive_?!" Apollomon asked. "Well, whatever…Welcome back, guys…"

"You okay, boss?" Statch asked.

"Sorry…I'm just tired," Apollomon said.

"That wound Lector gave you is still acting up, huh?" I sat down on a couch across from the Mega Digimon and looked at him with concern. It had been almost a month since he had been stabbed by Lector, and although Digimon heal from injuries faster than humans, his was a wound that I feared may affect him for the remainder of his life, however short or long that may be.

"Hasn't Luna been treating it?" Statch asked.

"She has…and _she's_ the reason why it hasn't bled at all since the day he stabbed me," Apollomon said. "Still hurts, though…He probably messed up an organ or two pretty badly…So, how did things go in Lotisea?"

"Horusmon was freed, but he got killed by Deckerdramon," Statch said. "Also, the two Bio Hybrids made off with the Mask." Apollomon rested his forehead in the palm of his hand, sighing.

"That…leaves us with only one Horcrux left to find," he said after a moment.

"The Diadem, right?" I asked. Apollomon nodded. "If you'd like, I can go right now—"

"No, not yet!" Apollomon interrupted. "There are a few things you must know first, besides the fact that this Horcrux is somewhere in Nymphaea, and it would be foolish to rush in to try and find it."

"…Yes, sir," I said. "So, what do you need to tell me?"

"Within each person, there lies two conflicting forces; yin and yang; light and dark; good and evil," Apollomon began. "In some people…the light is much brighter than in others, and with other people, the darkness is far deeper than other people. The Diadem of Spiritual Balance…it seeks to counterbalance those two forces by reversing them."

"Reverse…light and darkness? What do you mean?" Statuedramon asked.

"If someone with a pure heart like Zelda were to wear the Diadem, the Horcrux would bring about her inner darkness, no matter how deep within her it may be, and if someone evil were to wear it, then their inner light would shine forth, dispelling all darkness within. That is the power of the Digimon whose soul is trapped within that object…that is the power of Lucemon."

"So…all we have to do is not wear the Diadem, and we'll be fine?" I asked.

"You must not allow the Bio Hybrids to get their hands on that one," Apollomon warned. "If they do…"

"Sounds like end of the world time," Statch said.

"No. It would be _far_ worse than that." Apollomon clasped his hands over his knees, forcing himself to stand up. "I…considered going up to Nymphaea in your stead; trust me, if it were up to me, that is what would happen. However, Dianamon…refused. Quite vehemently, I might add. You know how she gets…"

"Yes, sir," I smiled. "I don't mind going to Nymphaea; I like it cold."

"If you say so," Apollomon said. "I doubt the Bio Hybrids would be willing to rush in to that raging blizzard, so you can take your time getting yourselves ready for this job."

"Yes, sir," I repeated. I left the living room and made my way to my bedroom, where I found Zelda alone and reading a book in our bed. When she saw me enter the room, she dropped the book and ran over to me, giving me a big hug.

"I'm so glad you're back," she said. "I miss you so much when you're out like that…"

"I've missed you, too…" I placed my arms around her petite body. "Are you feeling better? From…from what happened in Shendu?"

"Yeah…Thank you, Thomas. Talking with you the morning after we got back really made me feel better."

"I'm glad I was able to help."

"So, were you and Statuedramon successful?" Zelda asked.

"I'm afraid not; the Bio Hybrids got to the Mask and released Horusmon before getting away with the Horcrux," I said. "That leaves us with only one Horcrux left to find."

"The Diadem in Nymphaea?"

I nodded. "I'm going to get ready to leave soon, and when I go…Zelda, I don't want you to go with me."

"…Why not?" she asked, a sad, guilty expression crossing her face.

"Nymphaea is a harsh and unforgiving land, Zelda, far worse than the desert of Cyprus Province. Also, with this being the last Horcrux, the Bio Hybrids will fight harder than ever to get it before we do."

"Thomas, it's _because_ of that reason that I want to go with you," Zelda said. "No…it's because of that reason that I _am_ going with you. Ever since I first met you, Thomas, you've always protected me…While you were in Lotisea, I decided that _I_ would do the same for _you_. I may not be able to convince you to _not_ protect me, but at least allow me to protect you _while_ you're protecting me…Please? With the Digimon Talismans, I can take care of not only myself, but you as well…"

_Damn it…I just can't say no to her when she makes that face at me…It's just so damn cute…And she does have good reasoning, too…Maybe I _should_ let her come with me…_

"I...I understand if you want me to stay behind," she continued. "I wouldn't want to get in your way…"

"You could never be in the way," I said. "Of course you can come." _I must be the worst boyfriend in the world, letting her come with me into such a dangerous place…_ My heart sank slightly, but when Zelda smiled at me, it rose back up.

"Thank you, Thomas," she said. "I promise; I'll do everything I can to help you!" I nodded.

"We'd better start packing; it's going to be a long trip," I said. "Remember to dress warmly when we go." Zelda blushed slightly.

"I guess I…do always kind of dress like this, don't I…" Zelda looked down at herself. "I've never been that far up north, so I've never had to dress warmly before, and I've just always felt the most comfortable wearing clothes that Humans in the desert wear…"

"And you look good in them, too," I added. Zelda smiled and kissed me.

"What about you? I've never seen you dress for cold weather, either," Zelda said.

"I've been to Nymphaea many times before," I said. "It was while I was training with Victoria, before I met Statuedramon — I doubt he's coming with us, by the way; Reptile Digimon like him can't stand the cold. We didn't stay for very long, but it was just long enough for my body to be able to tolerate temperatures that low, so I'm fine as I am now."


	71. The Diadem of Spiritual Balance

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Nymphaea Province**

**2 Days**

Nymphaea Province is a cold and barren province that is not too different from Cyprus Desert to the south. The blizzards there are similar to the desert's sandstorms, only that the blizzard is constant, rather than frequent. Nymphaea, however, does not have any human population to speak of to my knowledge, and even Digimon, even ice Digimon like Frigimon, are a rare sight.

"How are you holding up?!" I asked, being forced to yell over the loud roar of the never-ending blizzard of the province.

"I'm fine!" Zelda replied. Her petite frame was bundled up in a thick, padded blue coat, and she wore a red scarf around her neck. Not used to the cold, she huddled close to me to help keep herself warm. I, of course, was feeling quite fine, having been here before with Victoria, and wore nothing in addition to my normal attire. "Are you sure you aren't cold?!" she yelled.

"No, I feel good!" I shouted back. On numerous occasions during our trip up here, I had attempted to offer her my own coat, but she immediately refused whenever I did so.

"'No! You'll freeze to death! I'm surprised you haven't frozen yet!'" I remember her saying at least fifteen times. I smiled.

_Life would definitely not be the same without her,_ I thought, smiling down at the shivering woman as she came to an abrupt stop. "What's wrong?"

"…I can feel this ice moving," Zelda said. "It's shaking…as if something's underneath the surface…Something big…"

"This entire province is made of ice over ten miles thick," I said. "If whatever's down there comes up, there's no danger of the ice breaking and us falling into the ocean. It's probably just a Drimogemon."

"…No…it feels too big to be a Drimogemon, and not quite as steady or smooth," Zelda said. "Whatever it is, it's getting closer; we should—" She was interrupted when the ice in front of us split open. I grabbed hold of her arm instantly and stepped back as an enormous, bestial Digimon climbed out of the hole formed, facing us.

"I thought I heard Human footsteps up above," the Digimon said. "And just when I was getting ready to go home after working for so long…"

"You…you're a Zudomon, aren't you?" I asked. "I apologize if we've disturbed you—"

"Nah; you did no such thing," Zudomon said. "I was just on my way back home after finding the Horcrux." My heart skipped a beat.

"The…Horcrux?!" Zudomon's eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"So…you do know what those are." The behemothic Digimon snorted "I was wondering why Humans would come _this_ far north…My master told me there might be Humans who know about the Horcruxes…"

"Who are you?! Who's your master, and why are you out looking for the Horcruxes?!" I asked. Zudomon grinned.

"You know what my master told me to do? What I should do if I encounter other people who know about the Horcruxes?" Zudomon asked. "He told me…to destroy them!"

"Ah, crap…"

"Vulcan's Hammer!" Zudomon slammed his hammer down on the ice, sending numerous jagged icicles in our direction.

"Zelda, look out!" I pushed her to the ground just before any of the icicles could hit us. The Ultimate Digimon then jabbed his left claw at us, but missed, sending snow flying everywhere. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she said. "Thank you…"

"We should get out of here," I said frantically. "I'm not strong enough to protect you from a Digimon this big!"

"Leaving so soon?" Zudomon asked. "You're not going to leave without _this_…are you?" Zudomon held out his left claw; sitting at its center was the Diadem, which gleamed and sparkled madly as if light were shining on it. Its right half was pitch black, while its left half was purest white, giving the impression that it would make it impossible to find in the snow were the black half buried or obscured from view.

"I wouldn't ask you to fight a Digimon this dangerous," Zelda said. "Only a Digimon could defeat another Digimon as powerful as Zudomon. Come forth, Vajramon!"

"At your service, milady," Vajramon said, drawing his swords.

"Be careful, Vajramon!" Zelda called out, but Vajramon had already begun attacking the other Ultimate Digimon. "Vajramon! Don't let him put that crown on you! If you do, you'll turn—"

"Terra Blade!"

"Vulcan's Hammer!" Vajramon's swords made contact with Zudomon's hammer; sparks flew through the air as steel collided with steel.

"Deva Blade!" An energy beam shot forth from Vajramon's blades and knocked Zudomon's hammer out of his hand before repeatedly striking the Sea Animal Digimon with his swords.

"You bastard! Enough of this!" Zudomon reached out and grabbed hold of Vajramon's neck. "I'm late enough as it is without having to fight _you_!"

Vajramon ignored him and dropped his swords into the snow. The Spirit grabbed Zudomon's arm and hurled him over his own back to the ground. Snow went flying everywhere, and Zelda and I became partially buried in the miniature avalanche that flew through the air before crashing back down to the ground when Zudomon landed.

"That ought to do it," Vajramon said, looking down at Zudomon before the Sea Animal Digimon turned into dispersed data. "I apologize for not being more careful, milady."

"No…that…that's okay," Zelda said, digging herself out of the snow as I did the same. "Thank you…We…we're done here…"

"If that is all, then by your leave, I shall excuse myself," Vajramon said before vanishing.

"Zelda, are you okay?" I asked once finally digging myself out of the snow. My heart skipped a few beats when I looked at her. Sitting atop her head was the Diadem. _Oh, my god…how did that happen?! Zudomon must've dropped it when Vajramon…Oh, my god!_ Quickly, I reached for the Diadem and removed it from Zelda's head. "Zelda! Are you okay?!"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" she asked. Her voice sounded emotionless, almost monotoned. "What are you looking at me like that for? I'm fine!"

_It…it's already begun!_ My heart sank as I looked down at the Diadem in my hand; its black half almost seemed to be glowing.

It took us another three days to return back to Saias's villa, and in that time, Zelda and I didn't speak to each other. With each passing day, I could see her usual gentle, loving, and caring face gradually turn expressionless. By the time we arrived at the villa, she looked quite annoyed, even angry. She threw the front door of the villa open and strode inside, shoving a passing-by Chrysania to the floor. Ignoring the girl's cry of surprise, Zelda stormed upstairs to our room and slammed the door shut behind her.

"Are you okay, Chrysania?" I asked, helping her stand up.

"Chrissy falls all the time, Tommy; she's used to it!" the young witch replied with a huge smile on her face and an expectant look in her eyes. "So, what did you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"When girlfriends get mad, it's usually because their boyfriends did something stupid," Chrysania said. "So, what did you do?" By now, she was jumping up and down with anticipation.

"I didn't do anything!"

"Yeah; that's what they _all_ say…"

"No, I mean…the reason she's mad — well, I guess I wouldn't really call it _mad_ — well…the reason she's like this...it's not because of something _I_ did…"

"Oh…does that mean she has _another_ boyfriend that did something stupid?"

"What?! No! She doesn't have—"

"Ooh, what a pretty crown!" Chrysania interrupted. "Is that the whore-something you two went to Nymphaea to get? I'm not supposed to wear it, right? If someone wears it, it'll turn them evil, right?"

"Yes, Chrysania. That is exactly what will happen."

"Thomas? Is there something you would like to tell me?" I looked behind me and saw Apollomon looking down at me.


	72. Supressed Rage

**Thomas Kasuto**

**The Living Room of Saias's Villa**

"She _wore_ it?!" Apollomon yelled, startling everyone else in the room. Dianamon and Pheragas glanced nervously at the Mega Digimon. "I specifically told you what would happen if either of you wore it! Did you not think to tell her what would happen?!"

"I _did_ tell her," I said. "And she didn't make the conscious decision to put it on…It just sort of…_fell_ onto her head…"

"You expect me to believe that?!"

"Well, a Zudomon held it in his hand, and then Vajramon threw him onto the ground, and it just…fell out of his hand and landed on her head."

"Well, _I_ believe him," Statuedramon said. "Thomas isn't imaginative enough to think of an excuse like _that_."

"…Gee…Thanks, Statch."

"Oh, you're welcome, buddy. Oh, wait! I meant to say that…uh…Oh, that he isn't the kind of person to make excuses like that! Yeah, that's what I meant! Uh-huh…Yeah. Totally what I meant to say."

"Alright, alright; whatever. It doesn't matter _how_ it happened," Apollomon said. "How long did she wear it?"

"Most likely less than ten seconds," I said.

"I see…Dianamon, go up and see her," Apollomon said. "See if you can tell if she has been affected by this Horcrux."

"Understood, sir," Dianamon said shortly before leaving the room.

"So, Zelda really did wear the whore-something, didn't she," Chrysania said.

"I'm afraid so, sweetie," Luna said, placing her arm around Chrysania's shoulders. "I'll be able to turn her back to her regular sweet self, but it'll take some time…"

"She must've looked _really_ pretty in it, though," Chrysania said. "Like a princess or something!"

"Well, personally, I don't think she needs any help," I said, looking down at the Horcrux that sat in my lap. _Like a princess or something, eh…Princess Zelda…That's got a nice sound to it. I wonder why…?_

"You did well to bring it back," Apollomon said. "Was Zudomon the only one you fought?"

I nodded. "I didn't see any sign of Michalis or Sephyrus, and he didn't seem to be affiliated with them in any way, nor did he seem to be a Bio Hybrid himself," I said.

"So, with the Stone and Diadem, that makes two Horcruxes that we have in our possession, with no more left to find," Apollomon said. "The Bio Hybrids and Lilithmon are in possession of the Medallion, Necklace, Silk, Jewel, and Mask…But it seems they don't have the Sword, Flute, or Mirror…Could Zudomon have been involved with their theft? Or maybe he could've been with whoever else has been taking them…"

"Sir, I've been thinking," I said. "Statuedramon told you what Deckerdramon told us about a week ago in Lotisea, about the Horcruxes, didn't he?"

"…Yes, he did."

"I've been thinking that, since the Horcruxes are important to Lilithmon regardless if they have a soul in them or not, it might be best to destroy them."

"How do you break a rock?!" BlackGaomon asked. "I could understand the Diadem being broken…"

"That would not solve our problems," Apollomon said. "Even if we were able to shatter them all into millions of pieces, all it would take is one small piece from each of them for Lilithmon to be able to use them for what she has in mind…_If_, in fact, that is what she's planning on…"

"Okay, so, breaking them might not help much, but what if we do go ahead and break them, and dump the pieces into the ocean so she could never find them?" Statuedramon suggested. Apollomon shook his head.

"It doesn't matter where we hide them, or how many pieces we shatter them into. Lilithmon _will_ find them, and when she does, she _will_ succeed. I know her; she will not stop until she is successful."

"Breaking them might actually make things worse," Luna interjected. "Breaking them could produce more opportunities for Lilithmon to get hold of something she can use to secure her allies' souls to."

"GET OUT!" A door upstairs slammed shut, and Dianamon came running down the stairs; tears were welling in her eyes.

"She…she's _mean_ when she's evil!" Dianamon said.

"Wow; she must've been pretty bad if they made a hardened warrior like_ Dianamon_ cry," Statuedramon said.

"Oh, she cries all the time," Apollomon said.

"What?! That's not…that's not true, damn it!" Dianamon protested.

"Sure you do! I've only known you your entire life!" Apollomon joked.

"Vut did she say?" Pheragas asked. Glancing at Chrysania, Dianamon bent down and whispered into Pheragas's ear, making his jaw drop. "…I…I vas not avare she knew dat many vulgar vords…"

"Ooh, ooh, what'd she say?!" Chrysania asked excitedly.

"…I vill tell you vhen you grow bigger," Pheragas said. "Still, I…I cannot believe she knows _dat_ vord…"

"Yeah, or _that_ one," Dianamon added.

"Well, you have to remember that she grew up in a desert city as one of the Marked," I said. "From what she told me, I can only assume that the words you didn't know she knew — whatever they may have been — were shouted at her and her sister, Hannah, on a daily basis for doing little more than existing when the other people of that city thought they didn't have the right to do so."

"Chrissy keeps forgetting Zelda had such a bad life because Zelda's always smiling and nice to other people…"

"Hmm…Dianamon, how did she seem to you?" Apollomon asked.

"She was…_mean_…and _vulgar_…and….and _mean_…"

"No, I mean…Were you afraid she might attack you? That she might try to hurt you?"

"No…she seemed more annoyed than murderous," Dianamon said. "When I looked into her eyes, I didn't see any bloodlust…only anger."

"I see…In that case, it seems that the Diadem didn't have its full effect on her," Apollomon said.

* * *

**Sephyrus**

"It is almost time, Michalis," I said. The two of us sat in a tree, outside the window of an empty room of the villa. Empty, that is, save for Zelda, who lay on her stomach with her face buried in a pillow. It was late afternoon, and the sun was beginning to set, casting a wonderful shadow for us to conceal ourselves in the branches of the tree. "Soon…we shall deliver the Diadem and the Stone to the lady…Michalis? Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh…yeah, I'm fine," Michalis answered. "I'm still a little shocked, is all…"

"That was only the effect of the Diadem," I said. "It brought forth the inner evil buried deep in her heart. Now, with it, we shall deliver those two Horcruxes to Lilithmon, in addition to our newest ally."

"Still, I can't believe anyone in this group was dumb enough to wear the Horcrux," Michalis said.

"…Nobody here is an idiot; not even Statuedramon. If it was on her head, I can only assume it to be an accident. Perhaps she fell, or someone forced her to wear it. Anyway, I digress; with her help, we'll be able to find the three remaining Horcruxes that were taken away from us…and then, all of Lilithmon's allies will be freed! All we need to do is convince Zelda's evil side to work with us, and we shall have an easier time dealing with whoever stole the Sword, Mirror, and Flute!"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

"What do you mean?" Statuedramon asked, staring wide-eyed up at Apollomon.

"It seems as though Zelda actually _has_ no evil within her," Apollomon said. "If she was truly evil — if the Diadem really had caused any evil to be called forth — then she would have, without any shadow of a doubt, attacked Dianamon. She didn't, so I have come to the conclusion that what we see now is merely her suppressed rage and resentment from being horribly mistreated by the people of Adonis and other settlements."

"Is that all that's wrong with her?" I asked, relieved.

"I believe this to be incredibly likely."

"…I didn't think she had any evil in her," BlackGaomon said.

"Now, with that being said; Luna, will you still be able to cure her?" Apollomon asked.

"Of course; whatever happened to her was the work of magic, and magic can always be undone," Luna said.

"Couldn't we just put the Diadem back on her?" Statuedramon asked. "And for that matter, couldn't we just put it on the Bio Hybrids and Lilithmon so we wouldn't have to deal with all of this anymore?"

"I'm afraid not; it only works once per person, and only on Humans, so it wouldn't work with the Bio Hybrids," Apollomon said.

"But she carries the Mark, doesn't she?" Dianamon asked. "That's pretty close to being a Bio Hybrid, so why did it affect her?"

"…I am unsure," Apollomon said. "Perhaps it is because she was born this way…while the Bio Hybrids had Digimon data injected into their blood…"

"Well, whatever the case, it'll take some time, but I _will_ bring her back," Luna said. "She…she must feel _awful_, with all of that suppressed anger eating away at her…"

* * *

**Zelda**

My face had been pressed up against my pillow for the longest time; it was all I could do to keep myself from screaming and tearing it to shreds. I just couldn't understand _why_ I was feeling this way. I _knew_, deep down in my heart, that I had never been this way before…so why now? I clenched my fist. It seemed as though everything and everyone around me was out to kill me. I hadn't felt this terrible since I was growing up…the memories of my childhood filled my heart with even _more_ rage. It was almost comforting, in a strange way. I clenched my fist even tighter.

"Zelda…we need to talk."

I lifted my head and, to my surprise, saw that Sephyrus and Michalis stood behind me. "What do _you_ two want?!" I asked, sitting up on the bed. "And how the fuck did you two assholes get in here in the first place?!"

"Through the window," Sephyrus said calmly. "And we've come to—"

"I don't _care_ why you two are here! Just get out!" I pointed at the window, and Michalis looked as though he were about to comply, but Sephyrus stood still and gave me an amused grin. "What, you think this is fucking _funny_ or something, breaking into a lady's room like this?! Get the fuck OUT!"

"We saw your argument with Dianamon earlier," Sephyrus said, ignoring me.

"Yeah? What about it?!"

"Well, it seems to me that you aren't happy being with this group anymore."

I sighed. "…No…it…it's not _that_…I just—"

"Zelda…I believe it's time you come with us."

"…Me? Go with…you?!" I found the idea absolutely repulsive. "_Why_?!"

"Well…we have our reasons for needing you to come with us," Sephyrus said. "Certain key events have taken place…Zelda, you no longer have the right to call this place home."

"What do you mean?" I asked, now more nervous than angry.

"You…are no longer aligned with them," Sephyrus said. "You are evil now, and _not_ good."

"No…no, that can't be right," I said. "I don't…I _can't_ be…"

"You…don't have any feelings of…malice, do you?"

"Only toward _you_ _two_ assholes for barging into my room!"

Sephyrus stared long and hard at me. A few seconds passed before he let out a long sigh. "I see…so, _this_ is what became of you…"

"What are you talking about _now_?!"

"When most Humans don the Diadem of Spiritual Balance, it makes them change their alignments permanently. But with _you_…that doesn't seem to be the case…"

"…What do you mean? I _never_…put on that stupid, tacky Diadem," I said.

"I sense that you did," Sephyrus said. "Rather, I _saw_ that you did. It was on your head very briefly before Thomas removed it."

"Thomas…removed it?" I asked. "Why…? Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't he tell me that it was on my head?!"

Sephyrus grinned.

"So, what's going on with her if she isn't evil, then?" Michalis asked.

"What we see here is merely any pent-up aggravation and rage built up over the years finally brought to the surface. In this state, she should be very prone to violent outbursts, and — quite fortuitously, I might add — very easily _annoyed_," Sephyrus said. "She is not truly evil…Regardless, this may be able to work to our advantage. Zelda…you _will_ come with us."

"Forget it; I am _not_ doing anything _you_ tell me to do!"

"Even if we promise to leave you alone after you have done what we want you to do?"

"…"

"Michalis…begin the back-up plan," Sephyrus said. "Do not back down until she relents and aids us."

"…Yes, sir," Michalis said quietly. He slowly and nervously began approaching me.

"Why do you hesitate? You've never done so before," Sephyrus said. I rolled my eyes. "Hurry up; we need the Stone and Diadem!"

"…Fine." Michalis raised his finger and poked my arm. I slapped his hand away, but he continued poking my arm.

"What the fuck do you think you're _doing_?!" I asked.

"Just following orders," Michalis said.

"Are your orders to _annoy_ me to death?! Because you're doing a pretty damn good job of that!"

"No, not to death," Sephyrus said. "We are simply using nonviolent aggression to liberate your true, wrathful disposition…"

"I don't think it's working, old man," Michalis said after I had slapped his hand away a few more times.

"Have a go at her with the feather," Sephyrus suggested. Michalis nodded and removed a Bird Digimon's feather from his pocket and brushed it across my belly button, sending a chilling, tingling sensation through it and up my spine, the sensation of which nearly caused me to laugh. However, before Michalis could raise his arm to do it again, I rammed my fist into his groin. I heard a loud snap, as if something broke; whether it was a bone in my hand or one of his, I hadn't a clue, but when Michalis hit the floor, his face twisted in utmost agony as he fell, dropping the feather, I had a feeling it was the latter.

"Oh, dear…this really isn't working out as well as I had hoped," Sephyrus said, resting his chin in his hand.

"I…second…that…" Michalis said weakly.

"Will you two get out of my room now?!" I asked. "Don't think I won't hit you just because you're dressed like a priest! I know what you've done!"

"We _will_ leave…as soon as you decide to help us," Sephyrus said.

I sighed angrily. "You two…are really not going to let this go, are you?"

"We really can't."

"Well…if it means you two will shut up and leave me alone…I'll do whatever you want," I said. "So…what is it you want me to do?! Spill it!"

"Well, first, we'll need the Diadem and the Stone…"


	73. Stolen Horcruxes

**Zelda**

**Saias's Villa**

"This is where Apollomon keeps the Stone," I said. I led the two Bio Hybrids deep underground to the villa's basement. It had been quite some time since I had been down here…not since the first time I met Victoria when she was still alive. Just thinking about her — how she died at the hand of one of the Bio Hybrids standing next to me — filled my entire being with an incomprehensible rage. It was all I could do to keep myself from choking the life out of him, but I knew that Sephyrus could very easily kill me in return, should he choose to..

"Just the stone?" Sephyrus asked. "Where is the Diadem?"

"…I don't know. I assume it's still in Thomas's hands," I said. I picked up the Stone and threw it at Sephyrus, who promptly caught it a split second before it hit him in the face.

"You've done well thus far, milady." Sephyrus took the Stone. "Now…about the Diadem…"

"I already _told_ you; if it's anywhere, Thomas or Apollomon would still be holding on to it! Now, let me go! And don't even _think_ of following me!"

"…Very well. Zelda, I am a man of my word; Michalis and I shall leave you be," Sephyrus said.

"See you later. Thanks for the help!" Michalis said, turning to wave at me. However, in doing so, he left his face vulnerable to my oncoming fist, which made contact with his nose and caused blood to come dwindling out his nostrils. The Bio Hybrids ran up the stairs, but before they could reach the top, the basement door opened.

"You two?! What are you doing here?!" Apollomon asked. In his hand was the Diadem of Spiritual Balance.

"We've come for the Diadem, Apollomon!" Sephyrus yelled back. "And you aren't going to stop us! Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioPremenitmon!"

"Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid DNA Digivolve to, BioBeelzemon Blast Mode!"

"Lilithmon will never get her hands on the Diadem! Sol—"

"Corona Blaster!" BioBeelzemon waved his canon in front of Apollomon's face and fired, sending the Mega Digimon flying through the open basement door. However, he quickly got back up and prepared to attack again.

"Claw of Phantasms!" BioPremenitmon's claws raked across Apollomon's face, leaving behind three deep gashes. Apollomon dropped the Diadem, which the lizard-like Bio Hybrid was quick to retrieve.

"Arrow of Artemis!" A barrage of ice arrows rained down on the two fleeing Bio Hybrids. "Damn it; get back here!" Dianamon yelled.

"Dianamon…go after them," Apollomon said, staggering. "Make sure…they do not release Lucemon…"

"Yes, sir!" I heard Dianamon's loud footsteps as she ran after the Bio Hybrids. Apollomon looked down at the stairs, looked down at me.

"…Zelda…"

"You…you're going to bitch at me for leading those two down here, aren't you?" I asked, not looking up at the Digimon.

"No…What happened wasn't your fault," Apollomon said. I heard the wooden stairs creak as he began descending them, slowly and carefully.

"But…but it _was_," I said. "Those two…they took advantage of me; they…used my anger to control me! And they were right…I…I don't belong here—"

"Zelda, please don't ever say anything like that again," Apollomon said. "Of _course_ you belong here. We are your family. We are your friends, and your companions. Everyone here — me included — cares so much about you…"

"I don't…deserve—"

"You're only saying that because of the effects of the Diadem," Apollomon interrupted. "All of this — anything that may have happened where you were involved — you are not to blame for it. It was the magic of the Diadem that made you do this. It is Lucemon, and Lilithmon, and the Bio Hybrids, and that Zudomon who are at fault. Not you…"

"Apollomon…can I…ever turn back? To the way I was before the Diadem fell on me?" I asked. "I don't want to feel this anger ever again…I want to go back to enjoying life, and enjoying it with everyone here…But I don't feel like I can…"

"Of course you can, sweetie," I heard Luna's voice say. "This was the work of magic, and magic can always be undone. Just give me some time…and I'll have you back to your kind old self again. I promise."

"Luna…thank you…"

* * *

**Dianamon**

"Drop the Diadem!" I shouted. I was breathing heavily after having run for over three hours to the outskirts of Mandrake Town. Sephyrus stood in the center of town, reciting something in an odd language. Between us stood BioBeelzemon, who aimed his canon at my rising and falling chest. "Relinquish the Horcruxes at once!"

"'Fraid we can't do that, sweetheart," BioBeelzemon said mockingly, a sadistic grin on his face. "You just watch, frozen in horror, as Lucemon frees himself from the Dark Area!"

"It is done!" Sephyrus shouted. "Join us, Lucemon!"

A pitch-black hole formed in front of Sephyrus, and out of it flew an angelic, demonic Digimon, the likes of which I have never seen before. "Lucemon…how does it feel to be free?"

"Such a question is illogical," Lucemon replied in a monotone. "Lucemon feels no emotions. Emotions are things best left discarded."

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

"Will that potion really work on her?" Statuedramon asked worriedly.

"Unless I did something wrong — an unlikely turn of events — everything will go fine," Luna said. She and Zelda sat cross-legged on the villa's living room floor, and in the witch's hands was a vial containing a putrid-smelling, black liquid. She held the vial up against Zelda's lips and forced her to swallow its contents despite her protests. "Please try to stop struggling; I know it tastes awful, honey, but this'll make you happy again…" Soon, the potion was gone. Luna took the vial away from Zelda's lips, and Zelda immediately began coughing.

"Is she okay?!" Chrysania asked.

"Don't worry; she'll be fine. She's not choking; the potion just tastes quite awful."

I placed a hand on Zelda's back and massaged gently until she stopped coughing.

"As a side effect of this potion, she may forget exactly what it was she did while under the Diadem's effects," Luna said. Zelda rested her forehead in her hand for a moment. "Feeling better, sweetie?"

"…Ugh…no…"

"What did you put in that potion, anyway?" Statuedramon asked.

"Well, unfortunately, the only way I could get it to work was to add…" Luna glanced over at Zelda and quickly covered the younger woman's ears. "I had to put in slime from a Numemon's slime trail; that's what makes it taste and smell so bad."

"Dat is disgusting!" Pheragas grimaced. Luna shrugged and brushed some of Zelda's hair out of her face.

"You'll feel better soon, sweetie…" Immediately, Zelda doubled over in pain, clutching her stomach. She vomited up some of the potion.

"You were saying?" Statch asked.

"Oh, shut up; you heard what was in that potion," Luna said. "That cramping feeling is just another side-effect of the…extra stuff, I'm afraid…"

"Are there any other side-effects we should be aware of?" Apollomon asked.

"She'll be weak for about a day, so she'll need to stay in bed until she feels better…Just handle her delicately and with care, and, physically speaking, she'll be fine," Luna said. "Other than that and the slight memory loss, there are no other side effects."

"Thank you, Luna," I said.

"No need for thanks; I was happy to help her," Luna smiled, stretching her arms above her head. "Now would be the best time to take her up to your room." I nodded, slowly picking up my girlfriend to carry her upstairs. As I walked, I noticed tears rolling down her face.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Does your stomach hurt really badly?" Zelda nodded slowly.

"That's not why, though…Thomas…what did I do?" Zelda asked quietly. There weren't many stairs leading to the second floor of the villa, and I made it to our bedroom in no time.

"Nothing happened," I said. "Nothing that happened…none of it was your fault." I gently set her down on the bed, removed her boots, and placed the sheets over her.

"What did…what happened?" she asked.

"…The Diadem landed on your head," I said. "You didn't turn evil…but it brought up all of your suppressed anger from when you were younger. The Bio Hybrids…they took advantage of that…but none of it was your fault. Nobody is mad at you…And we all just want you to get better…" I leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. "I love you." After a moment, I turned to leave, but she grabbed my hand.

"Tommy…will you…stay with me?" Zelda asked. "I don't…want to be left alone right now…Please…"

"Of course I'll stay with you," I said, climbing into bed with her. "I'll stay however long you need me to."

"…It hurts…It hurts…so much," she sobbed. I quickly placed my hand over her stomach and gently began massaging her. "It…it feels like…I'm being stabbed…and also…like I'm starving to death…and stuffed and bloated at the same time…Thank you…Tommy…for…rubbing…my tummy…for me…"

"…I'm sorry I can't do anything more to help you feel better," I whispered.

"No…you are…helping…" she leaned over the side of the bed and vomited once more. "I'm…so sorry…I don't…remember…what I did…Do…you…hate…me? For…for what I did?"

"I could never hate you, Zelda." I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. "You just rest now. Try and get some sleep, and…maybe…you'll feel better in the morning…"


	74. Light and Darkness

**Dianamon**

**Mandrake Town**

_Lucemon…has been freed…_My gaze rested upon the Ultimate Digimon; his face was expressionless, and he hadn't moved an inch. _Apollomon…I've failed you…But I'll make it up to you by slaying this evil Digimon!_

"You must be Dianamon," Sephyrus said. "It is an honor to make your acquaintance, milady. Am I to assume you are the member they sent in an attempt to defeat Lucemon?"

"Defeat Lucemon?" Lucemon asked. "Such a thing is impossible; during Lucemon's previous life, he has killed Mega Digimon far stronger than you." His monotone voice sent chills down my spine, yet I stood my ground.

"You are a fool to think you can defeat a Digimon as strong as Lucemon," BioBeelzemon said, reverting back to his Human form.

"Your scent…it is most familiar to Lucemon," Lucemon said.

"…That's not something a girl wants to hear," I said.

"Your smell…it is quite similar to that of Crusadermon…" Lucemon hovered over to me. He was taller than me, and stood not even two inches away. He was bent over slightly, looking directly into my eyes.

"You really don't have much experience talking to women, do you?"

Lucemon ignored my question. "Crusadermon was the Digimon who killed Lucemon five-hundred years ago…Might you be a descendent of hers?" he asked. "Even now…Lucemon feels no emotions toward the Digimon carrying that name or her blood, even though it was her who sealed Lucemon in the Dark Area."

"Crusadermon…was my mother's name," I said. "I was very young at the time, only a Moonmon…I don't remember her very well; I don't even know if she's still alive…All I can remember is her leaving me in Apollomon's care because she was always so busy…Was it because she was dealing with you?"

"Your mother had a difficult time finding Lucemon's exact location," he said. "The few times she did manage to locate Lucemon — 48 times to be precise — he would always escape from her…But on the forty-eighth time, she finally killed Lucemon…Whether or not she is still alive is not for Lucemon to decide; Lucemon had been unable to strike back. She moved too quickly for him to do so. If she has, in fact, deceased, it was not by Lucemon's hand."

"Why are you just standing there, chattin' with her?!" Michalis asked.

"She sought answers. Lucemon was merely doing his duty as a seeker of knowledge to quench her thirst. Teaching illuminates the minds of both master and student," Lucemon said. "Not that the knowledge Lucemon was kind enough to bestow upon her will do her any good…for this is her last day alive…"

"I'm not going to lose to you. My mother wouldn't give up, and neither will I!"

"Believe what you like; you are not prepared for attacks as destructive as Lucemon's," Lucemon said.

"Crescent—" Lucemon ran up to me with mind-boggling speed; I didn't even see him move.

"Paradise Lost Punch!" Lucemon launched me into the air with a wild, unavoidable dance of punches and kicks. The Ultimate Digimon flew up after me and grabbed my limbs, driving me back down into the ground. A small fissure opened in the ground where Lucemon dropped me. I lay on my back in a daze, staring up at the spinning sky. "You seem incapable of movement…and after a single attack," Lucemon's face appeared just above mine. "Your mother would be ashamed." Next to me lay my hook; slowly, I reached for it and picked it up, swinging it at Lucemon's head; the Demon Lord Digimon, however, caught it in his hand without looking. "A sneak attack…There is no further proof of your incompetence. There is no hope one like you could ever best Lucemon in combat." Lucemon flew into the air and created a glowing white sphere in his left hand, and a glowing black one in his right. "Ultimate Sacrifice!" The two spheres in Lucemon's hands rushed down and trapped me within a larger orb.

"I've heard stories about this attack," I heard Sephyrus say over my bloodcurdling, agonized screams. "The attack will, half of the time, inflict severe damage on its target."

"And the other half?" Michalis asked.

"The other fifty percent…this attack completely annihilates its target," Lucemon said.

"What's really interesting is that it isn't up to Lucemon," Sephyrus said. "The attack just decides all on its own…as if it's a living, thinking, being." The orb shattered, and I fell to the ground in a bloody heap.

"…It seems as though the attack has chosen to spare her," Lucemon said. I forced myself to stand up.

_Damn it; my right arm…It's broken…_ Fortunately, my left arm felt relatively fine, so with no other option, I picked up my hook and wielded it with my left arm. _I sure hope this works…_

"You still have the urge to fight Lucemon?" Lucemon asked. "You're either very gallant…or incredibly stupid. Either way, what makes you so confident?"

"I…_must_…win," I said, breathing heavily. "I _cannot_…allow you…to live…Apollomon…ordered me to—"

"To what? To _kill_ Lucemon?" Lucemon asked. "Have you any idea how illogical that sounds? We have never met. Lucemon has never done anything to you. So why hold a grudge against Lucemon?"

"This isn't about me," I said. "I do this…so other people can live peaceful lives. With someone like _you_ around…that could _never_ happen."

"So you risk your life on the behalf of strangers? You fight Lucemon, knowing full well you could die, to protect someone you've never met?" Lucemon asked. "As Lucemon said before…people like you are illogical…and must be exterminated…Paradise Lost Punch!"

"Crescent Harken!" Lucemon began punching wildly and madly as I swung my hook in retaliation. To my own amazement, I was able to successfully block each of Lucemon's swings, and with each attack came another deep cut on the Demon Lord's hands. Seeing that he was failing, Lucemon halted his attack long enough for me to fire an Arrow of Artemis into the middle of his chest and clear through his back.

"Lucemon!" Michalis stared at the Ultimate Digimon as blood came seeping out the two wounds I had created.

"Grand Cross!" As Lucemon fell to the ground, he fired ten spheres of light at me with enough force to nearly destroy my armor. The both of us fell to the ground, covered in our own blood and defeated. Lucemon, however, had died, turning back into data as he returned to the Dark Area.

"Not again," Michalis groaned. "How could we let this happen _again_?! Shouldn't we be helping these Digimon fight those guys?!"

"Their prideful and arrogant dispositions won't allow for help. Remember?" Sephyrus asked. "In any case, we ought to return to Mandala…Lilithmon is expecting us."

"No…get back…here…" I attempted to crawl after them, but I was in too much pain to do so for long. _I'll just…rest here for a moment…_ The shadow of someone standing next to me, blocking the light from the sun, was the last thing I could remember before blacking out.

* * *

**Statuedramon**

**Saias's Villa**

**3 Hours**

"Hey, Thomas, how's she doing?" I asked, having just entered Thomas's and Zelda's bedroom.

"She's asleep right now," Thomas whispered. "She's been quite distressed the past couple of hours. She knows she did _something_, she just…doesn't remember…and no matter how many times I've told her it wasn't her fault, I don't think she quite believes me yet…"

"But it _wasn't_ her fault," I protested, making sure to speak quietly. "You told her that it was the Diadem, right?"

"Yeah. I just haven't told her about the Stone and Diadem being taken yet."

"That's probably for the best," I agreed. "So, how's she been holding up with that pain from drinking that potion?"

"Not too good; that's part of why she's been so distraught. It wasn't until about ten minutes ago that she finally fell asleep," he said. "The pain was almost enough to make her pass out. I felt...It made me feel so helpless, not being able to help her when she whimpered and cried out in pain; rubbing her stomach was the only thing I could do to help alleviate the pain…"

"Well, Luna said she should be feeling better tomorrow or the next day," I said.

"…I'm just…sick of it…you know?"

"…I understand, Tom," I replied. "I love her too, you know — not in the same way you do, but — oh, you know what I mean."

"…The only pain…she should have to endure…should be the pain she feels from eating too much at once. At least _that_ puts a smile on her face," Thomas said. "She's already been through a lifetime of hell. Hasn't she suffered enough already?!"

_Is he…crying? I haven't ever seen him…no, wait; one other time. When Victoria was… _"…Dianamon just got back," I said. "Apollomon said it might be a good idea for you to come down—"

"I'm not leaving her," Thomas said quietly but firmly. "I'm going to stay with her until she feels better. She did the same for me…when I was blinded by that Gesomon…so I _won't_ leave her…"

"…Okay. I'll come back up to tell you anything important." I turned to leave, and I heard Thomas call out to thank me as I made my way downstairs into the living room.

"How is she?" Luna asked as I entered the room, a look of worry on her face.

"She's sleeping now," I said. "The pain nearly made her pass out a few times, though…"

"Luna, can't you make some kind of potion to make her pain go away?" BlackGaomon asked.

"I would, but it's dangerous to mix potions like that," Luna said.

"I don't see vut de problem is," Pheragas said.

"Of course you don't! Mixing potions is dangerous business!" Luna yelled. She sighed, and continued in a more quiet voice. "As long as that first potion I made for her is still in her stomach, I don't want to put another one in her. If the two were to mix up while inside her belly…even I don't know what would happen…"

"She'll get better soon, won't she, mommy?" Chrysania asked, on the verge of tears.

"Yes, of course she will, sweetie," Luna smiled. She stroked her foster's daughter's hair. "She'll feel better in a day or two as I said…"

"Well…I'm glad she's…still alive," Dianamon said, hobbling into the room. Apollomon helped her walk, and her arm was around his shoulders.

"What the hell happened to you?!" I asked. Bits and pieces of her armor looked as though they had been blasted off by another Digimon's attack, and what looked like could be her skin was completely covered with blood, both dry and wet.

"Lucemon…he…he was freed from the Dark Area by the Bio Hybrids…" Apollomon set her down gently on a couch. "I defeated him…after a difficult fight…I tried following after those two after Lucemon died…but I passed out…next thing I know, someone's carrying me back here…"

"Someone? Who was it?" Luna asked. Dianamon shook her head.

"I couldn't ever see him…or her…But before he left…he gave me this…" Dianamon held up a folded piece of paper, which Apollomon took.

"What's it say?" I asked. Apollomon stared blankly at the note before turning it to show us. There were no words; the only thing on it was a weird-looking design. "What is that?"

"This…is Seraphimon's sigil," Apollomon said.

"Seraphimon? You mean that angel Digimon you told us about a while ago?" I asked.

"Seraphimon…was the one who brought me here?" Dianamon asked.

"…It seems to be that way," Apollomon murmured. "…We need to find him."

"If he wanted to be found, wouldn't he be here right now?" Luna asked.

"I don't _care_ if he wants to be found or not; we need his help, damn it! He's the only one strong enough to kill Lilithmon once and for all!" Apollomon exclaimed. "I'm going after him first thing tomorrow morning. Luna…I want you to heal Dianamon's wounds; she and Pheragas are coming with me."

"Yes, sir," Luna said, getting off her couch to leave the room.

"What about me?" BlackGaomon asked.

"You'll stay here with Statuedramon and the others," Apollomon said.

"_I'm _notgoing?!" I exclaimed.

"Is it…really a good idea to look for him?" Dianamon asked. "Do you…know where he is?"

"…I have a few ideas," Apollomon said. "If he isn't at any of those locations…" Apollomon sighed. "I don't know…all I know is that he needs to be found."

"I'll help you in any way I can," Dianamon said.


	75. Sunrise

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**14 Hours**

"This sunrise is kind of nice and all, I guess, but I'm getting bored already," Statuedramon said. The two of us sat on the villa's front porch. "Why did Apollomon have to leave me — I mean, _us_ — behind?! And they left without saying goodbye, too!"

"We can't all go," I said, turning my attention from the golden sunrise to him. "If too many of us left, there wouldn't be anyone to deal with the Bio Hybrids or Lilithmon. Besides, I had no intention of leaving Zelda behind."

"Speaking of…How is she doing?" Statch asked. "You didn't even want to leave her to come downstairs for dinner — your portion was really good, by the way — but now, you're down here with me, watching the sunrise like we always do."

"…She's…getting better," I said. "It's mostly the grief over not knowing what happened that's worn her out. She's still kind of feeling sick, though, so I'm not too broken up about not getting to go with Apollomon and the others. I don't want to leave her while she's like this, and without _me_, there's really no point in _you_ going."

"…Again with the Digivolving thing?" Statch asked. "Look, Thomas, I've said it before; I really don't think I can do it."

"And I told you, you need to stop doubting yourself," I replied. "I really believe that you've tried your hardest, but I know you can do it; not just because the two of us are together, as Human and Digimon, but because you have the power in yourself to do it."

"…I hope you're right," Statuedramon admitted. "Because I really _would_ like to Digivolve…I wonder what I would Digivolve into?"

"You could always ask Luna for help," I suggested.

"I could…but I'd really like to do this on my own," he said. "This is something that _should_ be done on one's own."

"You'll get it; one of these days, you'll figure it out," I said. "And when you do, you'll Digivolve into the most badass Digimon ever!"

"I thought I already was," Statch said.

* * *

**Zelda**

I slowly and gradually made my way downstairs, gently placing my bare feet down with each step I took so as to not aggravate my pounding headache. After a long period of time that I was sure wasn't nearly as long as it felt, I found my way to the living room, where I collapsed with exhaustion onto a couch, sitting straight up with my head resting in my hands.

"Zelda, are you okay?!" Luna asked. I lifted my head, seeing her and Chrysania standing worriedly over me.

"Zelda's tummy doesn't still hurt, does it?!" Chrysania asked tearfully.

"No…I feel better," I said, smiling at the young witch, who promptly plopped down on the couch next to me and pulled me into a choking hug.

"Chrissy was…so worried about you!" she sobbed.

"Well, I'm all better now," I said, patting her reassuringly on the back.

"Okay!" Chrysania immediately quit sobbing, and smiled broadly at me.

_Well…that certainly was…fast…_

"You don't still feel sick?" Luna asked.

"Well…my head hurts a little, but—"

"That's normal, dear," Luna interrupted. "Think of it as the leftovers of emotional anguish you felt from the actual effect of the potion."

"…What _did_ I do?" I asked beseechingly. "Thomas said I didn't do anything, but I'm not so sure…"

"Well…that's because…you _didn't_ do anything," Luna said. "None of what happened was your fault; it was all because of the Diadem and the Bio Hybrids."

"But…what _did_ happen? What happened yesterday?" I implored.

Luna closed her eyes in thought, and after a moment, she sighed. "The Stone and the Diadem were taken from us," Luna said. I bit my tongue to keep myself from gasping. "The Diadem _was_ on your head, but it didn't actually turn you evil; what happened was that it brought forth all of the anger from your childhood…growing up in Adonis…"

"So…I was…angry? Not truly evil?"

"Thomas and Apollomon both suspect you didn't turn evil because there wasn't any darkness in your heart; only anger; suppressed rage. That was all the Diadem of Spiritual Balance had to go by, and that was all it could do to someone as pure of heart as you. Anyway, the Bio Hybrids…they took advantage of that…and with it, they got our two Horcruxes."

"What?! But then—"

"Lucemon has already been released," Luna continued. "He was defeated by Dianamon before anything could happen, and now, she, Pheragas, and Apollomon have gone out in search of Seraphimon so as to defeat Lilithmon and her allies once and for all."

"…We…we need to get the other Horcruxes back," I said.

"Yes…But without Apollomon and the others, we have little chance of actually—"

"Not them," I interrupted. "The Sword…the Flute…and the Mirror…We need to get them back before the Bio Hybrids find them."

"Zelda…you _are_ correct, but…we don't have the slightest idea of where they could be," Luna sat down next to me.

"It doesn't matter…We need to find them," I said firmly. "I need to make up for what I—"

"You didn't do anything, sweetie," Luna said, grabbing my hand as I began to stand up. "That wasn't your fault!"

"Regardless…I _will_ find those three Horcruxes," I said. "It doesn't matter how badly I feel right now; this is something that _needs_ to be done!"

Luna sighed again. "I obviously can't shake you away from this decision," she said. "Tell me, though; how are you _really_ feeling?"

"Well…my head still hurts, but I'm able to ignore it," I said. "…And if I'm being completely honest…my tummy still hurts a lot…but I don't care. I'm still going."

"…I wanted to keep this away from you until you were feeling better," Luna said. I watched, curious, as she removed a folded piece of paper from the waist of her skirt and handed it to me. "I found this note on my bed last night. Read it."

I began reading but soon stopped, stunned. "…This is…"

"Whoever took the Sword, Flute, and Mirror sent me that," Luna said. "I don't know why they would send it to me, and not Apollomon, but without our leader, I will need to go and deal with this."

"But…it mentions me," I said. "Luna…they're requesting that I go with you!"

"To the Black Rose Mountains," Luna said. "Zelda, I really don't think it's a good idea that you come with me…But at the same time, my gut's telling me that you must."

"Luna…please…let me go with you," I said, grabbing her by the shoulders and looking into her eyes. "No matter how much everyone says what happened wasn't my fault, I still feel as though it was. I need to make up for what I did."

"…Fine. You can come. But we need to tell Thomas first," Luna said.

"Can Chrissy come, too?" Chrysania asked excitedly.

"No, Chrissy; just stay here with Thomas, Statch, and BlackGaomon." Luna leaned over and placed a kiss on her foster daughter's forehead. "Mommy will be back soon, sweetheart; I promise."

"…Okay…" We smiled one last time at the adorable young witch before leaving the room, heading for the villa's front porch. There we found Thomas and Statuedramon watching the sunrise. The pair turned to greet us, standing up when they saw I had accompanied Luna.

"Are you okay?" Thomas asked, gently placing a hand over my shoulder.

"Yes…I feel a lot better…" I smiled at him. "Thank you for staying with me the entire time," I added in a low whisper. "And for rubbing my tummy for me all night long. That helped a lot."

"…I'm glad you're feeling better," he whispered back.

"The two of us are going," Luna said.

"Going? Where to?" Statuedramon asked.

"We need to go to the Black Rose Mountains," I said. "It concerns the remaining Horcruxes."

"Are you feeling up to going?" Thomas asked, looking concerned.

"I'll be with her the entire time," Luna said. "I won't let anything happen to her. I promise."

"Are you okay with me going?" I asked.

"…No. I'm not," Thomas said. "You still look unwell, like you could collapse at any moment…But I'm not the kind of guy who would force his girlfriend to do what he says. Zelda…you really look determined to go and…do whatever it is you're going to do. If you feel so strongly about it, then you should go. And besides, I trust Luna and your Digimon Spirits to look after you."

"Don't you want to go with them?" Statuedramon asked. "I kind of want to go!"

"What, and leave BlackGaomon all by himself with Chrysania?" Thomas asked.

"She's a really sweet girl, but she can be a bit of a handful at times," Luna admitted. "Without me around, it takes at least three people to watch her to make sure she doesn't break anything…or start any fires…But those are always by accident!"

"…Fine, I'll stay here," Statch sighed.

"…I'll see you when you get back," Thomas said, kissing me.

"Don't worry; I'll make sure nothing happens to her," Luna said.


	76. Black Rose Mountains

**Luna Rosalina**

**Black Rose Mountains**

**1 Day**

Before us stood the towering peaks of the Black Rose Mountain range, the tops of which were hidden by looming, dark clouds. Below us was a series of bottomless chasms and cliffs zigzagging throughout the rugged, dark grey landscape, dark as the clouds that hid the mountain's peaks. The only signs of life nearby were a few trees here and there that had been robbed of their leaves, giving the area a haunting landscape…one that I absolutely loved. It was cold, too; even though we hadn't begun to climb the mountains yet, we were shivering, and a small breeze that blew past us didn't help. The entire landscape was mesmerizing, and I stopped in my tracks, completely enamored.

"This place…is so beautiful!" I exclaimed. "The darkness…This bleak, lifeless landscape…Oh, I love it!"

"Yeah, it's…quaint, I suppose," Zelda said, looking rather frightened.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" I asked.

"Well…I'm a bit scared…I've never seen the sky look so dark in the morning before…"

"I meant the whole headache, nausea, and self-doubt thing," I said.

"…I'm feeling better," Zelda said. "We should get going; whoever wrote that note said that they'd be waiting for us just up ahead." For a split second, I smiled at her as she led us deeper into the mountain range, and I was becoming more and more excited the longer we walked. Every now and then, I would spot a blood stain in the dirt, the only thing left from either a Human or Digimon that had been messily devoured.

"Oh, this one looks fresh!" I bent down next to a still-wet puddle of blood and dipped my fingers in it.

"You're not actually going to…drink that…are you?" Zelda asked. I ignored her, and slowly lapped the blood off my fingers.

"Definitely a Digimon," I said, wiping up more blood to drink. "Their blood…it tastes more…irony…than Human blood. Trust me; I know."

"Luna, why…do you drink blood?" Zelda asked. "I'm sure I might not want to know the answer, but I really am quite curious."

"I'm absolutely _captivated_ by its flavor!" I began to wipe up the blood and drink it at a much faster rate. "It's got a different texture, too…from water…I love the way it feels…on my tongue…sliding down my throat…and into my belly…Here, do you want to try?" I held out my blood- and saliva-stained fingers.

"…Uh…no…No, my belly is…perfectly…happy without any blood," Zelda said. "But…uh…thank you for your offer…"

"You're welcome!" I finished lapping up the blood puddle and stood back up. "I've gotten to the point where I can't eat anything without getting sick if it lacks any blood, either mixed inside of it or slathered on top of it. It's the same with what I drink; it simply _must_ have blood in it, or my stomach completely rejects it, and I get sick. Not that I would actually _try_ to eat or drink something that _didn't_ have blood…"

"…Luna…there's a fork in the road," Zelda said.

"Oh, dear; what should we do? The note didn't give us directions…"

"…We go our separate ways," Zelda said.

"What?!"

"It's just a feeling that I have, but—"

"No! Absolutely not!" I raised my voice. "Thomas trusted me to look after you, and I can't do that if I'm not with you!"

"I know, Luna…But I will be fine," Zelda said firmly. "I'm a Summoner, remember? I've been one for as long as I can remember…and I am able to sense the presence of Digimon Spirits. And right now…I sense one down the right fork."

"Then let me go with you! You don't have to go alone, you know!"

"…Yes…I do," she replied. "Whoever left us that note…they know where we live. They _knew_ that, based on where we live, we would end up at this fork. They wanted us…to go our separate ways, Luna."

"But what if it's a trap?" I asked.

"I'll be fine. The Digimon Spirit I sense…it is a familiar one. Luna…we need to go our separate ways," Zelda insisted. "Both for the Horcruxes…and for the Digimon I sense…"

"The Digimon you sense…? Is there something wrong with it?"

"Digimon Spirits can be considered to be nothing more than a physical form of the soul of the Digimon they used to be…And I sense anguish," Zelda said. "Luna…that Digimon Spirit is in pain…I have to help it! But I can't ask you to come with me. We need to get those Horcruxes before the Bio Hybrids do, because if we don't—"

"Okay, I get it," I sighed. I gave the younger girl a reassuring smile when her expression grew crestfallen. "We…we'll go our separate ways for now. Are you sure you're up to it?"

"I'm fine, Luna," Zelda said, smiling back at me. "I'll be careful…and I'll come back."

"Just…be careful, sweetie." I pulled Zelda into a hug. "I don't want to tell Thomas something's happened to you…He cares so much about you…And so do I…"

"Okay…But you have to be careful too. I don't want to tell Chrissy something's happened to her mother…" We pulled apart a moment later and went our separate ways. Every now and then, I would turn around to make sure she was still walking.

"I'm just going to have to trust her," I kept telling myself. "She'll be okay…She _will_ be."

"Ah, that's the spirit!" I froze as an unknown voice spoke from somewhere above me. "Just have faith in your friend…and everything'll turn out okay! Well, that's the theory, at any rate."

"Who are you? _Who's there_?!" I asked. My heart was beating faster than it should have; there was no reason for me to feel so scared…and yet, it felt as though I knew that voice.

"Aww…forgotten me so soon, have ya? Tsk tsk…You know, Bellaluna, it really would pay to remember the sound of the voices of your _allies_!"

_Bellaluna…? He knows my…_real_ name? The only people who know it are my family at Lachesis…them and…_ "Who are you?!" I asked again.

"Come now, Bellaluna…surely, you can use that bottomless pit for knowledge you call a brain to figure it out," the voice said. It was so familiar…

"…Asuramon? Asuramon…is that you?!"

"Ah, now you've got it!" a tall, large Digimon jumped down from a cliff higher up and landed in front of me.

"Asuramon…It really _is_ you…" His left head, the yellow face of blessings, was the one that was speaking.

"Bellaluna Rosalina…it certainly has been a while," Asuramon said.

* * *

**Zelda**

After a few moments of walking alone, I sat down on a flat-surfaced rock to rest. "That Digimon Spirit…it's getting closer," I said, breathing heavily. "It feels so…_familiar_…as if I know the Digimon…But its presence isn't one that I've actually met, so it can't be…him…" My heart sank when I thought about him. "I must be…more tired than I thought…Haven't quite recovered yet…But I have to keep going! That Digimon that's in pain…I will help you, whoever you are!"

Suddenly I heard a familiar voice from the distance. "You?! What…what are _you_ doing here?!"

"Who…? Who said that? That voice…"

"You shouldn't be here! Leave _now_!" The voice sounded rather panicked.

"Wait! Who are you? Your voice…are you—"

"Shut up! Just shut your mouth and get out of here right now!"

"It is you, isn't it? Gallantmon?" The voice gasped, and after a few moments, I heard the footsteps of someone walking out from a narrow cave nearby. "Gallantmon! Gallantmon, it really is you!" I ran up to the Digimon Spirit, my eyes filled with tears of happiness, and I threw my arms around his leg.

"Zelda, I—"

"Gallantmon…Oh, Gallantmon, I've missed you…so much…" I looked up at the rather tall Exalted Knight. "Have you…been well? You…"

"Zelda…I am not Gallantmon…anymore."

"…What?" I gave him a puzzled look.

"I am no longer the Gallantmon you remember. My name…is ChaosGallantmon."


	77. Reunion of the Fallen

**Bellaluna Rosalina**

**Black Rose Mountains**

"Tell me, Bellaluna," Asuramon began. "Why did you leave us?"

"That's not my name!" I said defensively. "I go by _Luna_ now!"

"Luna? So, you've shortened your name now…Still, it's a pretty name, one befitting its owner," Asuramon said. "Now…don't avoid my question any longer. I've waited over ten years for this answer; why did you leave us?"

"Asuramon, I—"

"_Why did you leave us?!_" Asuramon's center head, the one with the red mask, was the one who spoke now. "It's been ten years since you left! Ten long years, and the two of us have wasted that time doing _nothing_ but wait for you!"

"Asuramon, I...I'm sorry, but I—"

"It's so wonderful to see you again," the head with the yellow mask said. He reached out one of his four arms, one from his right side, and delicately stroked my face with his hand and wiped away the tears that had begun streaming from my eyes. "Look at you! Somehow…somehow, you've gotten even more beautiful since the last time we've seen you; at the time, I'd have thought that to be impossible…Clearly, I was mistaken; you are more beautiful than ever."

"Asuramon..." I whispered breathlessly, tears slipping down my face as quickly as they slid down Asuramon's left head, the one wearing the blue mask.

"I...we've missed you so much!" the blue-masked head spoke, wiping the tears from his eyes with one of his left arms. "And now…now, you're finally back!"

"Asuramon, please...please forgive me," I said with a small smile. Just then as Asuramon's right hand moved from my face to grab me by the neck.

"But that does not change the fact that you left us! Abandoned us! BETRAYED US! And for that, you must die!" Asuramon's center head shouted.

"Asuramon, calm down!" commanded a voice from above.

"P…Parrotmon?" I struggled to turn my head towards the voice, but Asuramon tightened his grip around my neck.

"Bellaluna…well, isn't your pretty face a sight for sore eyes?" Parrotmon asked, swooping down from the sky and landing on the ground next to his partner. "Asuramon, stop being so impatient! You might be the smarter of the two of us, but even _I_ know that we still need her to tell us what we want, and she can't do that if you kill her, right?" Asuramon's grip around my neck lessened, and he finally dropped me on the ground, coughing and gasping for air.

"Did you get the girl?" Asuramon asked.

"Boy, it's been a while since all three of us have been together like this," Parrotmon said. "Over ten years, right? Boy, we sure had some fun…"

"Parrotmon!" Asuramon interrupted. "Did…you…get…the…_girl_?!"

"Yep; got 'er right here!" Parrotmon held out his right hand, which was holding a small, young girl, his fingers wrapped around and under her arms to prevent her from leaving, a precaution that seemed useless as the girl looked unconscious.

"N—No...Chrysania...?" I gasped, still struggling to breathe.

"So, _that's_ what you decided to name her," Asuramon said, looking at Chrysania's small, unmoving body.

"That other girl sure is lucky she went down that other fork," Parrotmon said. "I'd hate to have to do this to _that_ little beauty!"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"That girl…if I'm not mistaken, she carries the Mark, no?" Asuramon asked.

"…And if she does?" I asked.

Asuramon smirked, his yellow face turning to speak. "She's lucky, then…She won't have to deal with _me_," Asuramon began laughing. "The Marked…filthy half-breed scum don't deserve to live!"

I raised my arm and slapped Asuramon across his yellow-masked face. "Don't you fucking dare _ever_ talk about her like that again!" I yelled. "Without even _knowing_ her as an individual, you automatically _assume_ she doesn't have the right to exist, _just because_ _she carries that stupid mark_?!" Asuramon's grin widened. "You make me sick, Asuramon! Zelda is my friend! You have no right — no right whatsoever — to talk about her like that! Zelda is the kindest, gentlest person I have ever met! She's dealt with people like you her entire life, and she's still able to find it in her heart to care about the well-being of people that insult her like that!"

"Whatever…"

"Why did you call me up here, anyway?! Just to insult the people I love?!"

"Bellaluna…You will tell us what we want to know, and your fake daughter won't have to be hurt. Tell us…where the Horcruxes are."

"The…Horcruxes?"

"The Necklace. The Silk. The Diadem. The Mask. The Medallion. The Stone. The Jewel. Those were the seven Horcruxes we _didn't_ find," Asuramon said. "The Sword, the Flute, and the Mirror are already in our possession. Now…tell us where the other seven are, or 'Chrysania' as you call her will receive _your_ punishment!"

"The Horcruxes? Oh, please; don't be so boring," Parrotmon said. "What _I_ want is the secret to Maleficia!"

"Maleficia?" I repeated.

"You know, that spell that gives you the ability to use every Digimon attack there is!" Parrotmon said. "Don't tell me you've forgotten already?!"

"You speak too much, Parrotmon," Asuramon said. "But for once…you are correct. The secret to Maleficia…would be _far_ more beneficial than the powers given to us by the Horcruxes."

"The powers? Then…you don't want the Horcruxes for the souls?"

"Of _course_ not! It's a lot more beneficial for us to have those souls locked away forever in those little trinkets! After all, once a soul leaves, the trinket loses the special powers!" Parrotmon said.

"…If you did have the Horcruxes…If you _did_ now Maleficia…what would you do with them?" I asked.

"What do you think, idiot?! What the three of us _used_ to do in the good old days!" Asuramon said. "Now, tell us what we want to know if you don't want this child harmed!" Asuramon slapped me across the face.

"No, please don't — I don't know anything! Please…don't hurt her," I sobbed, trying to stand up, but Asuramon slammed his foot onto my back, pinning me to the ground. "Don't…hurt…her…"

"You know that wasn't what we wanted to hear. Parrotmon!" Asuramon looked at the other Ultimate Digimon and nodded. Parrotmon lifted up Chrysania's left arm and opened his beak.

"No...What are you doing?" I asked, shaking my head in disbelief as Parrotmon placed Chrysania's hand, up to the wrist, in his mouth. "No! Stop! Please, don't hurt her! Don't hurt my baby! DON'T HURT MY BABY!" Parrotmon ignored my desperate wailing as he snapped his beak tightly shut around Chrysania's wrist, causing her to wake up and shriek in pain.

* * *

**Zelda**

"ChaosGallantmon? You've—"

"Yes…My inner darkness has been awoken," ChaosGallantmon said. "You were so…happy to see me, you didn't notice that I look different now…how like you…Zelda…"

"Well…it doesn't matter to me that your name and your colors have changed," I said. "You're still Gallantmon on the inside…the same Digimon Spirit that I met many years ago…I'm glad you're okay, Gallantmon! I've been so worried about you!"

"You…really…cared about me?" ChaosGallantmon asked. "Even though I…abandoned you? Over and over?"

I nodded. "Our personalities are complete opposites…but I don't care," I said. "I love you just as much as my other Digimon Spirits."

"Zelda…"

"I'm so happy to see you!" I looked up again at the knight, smiling widely. "So…what are you doing here, Gallantmon?"

"I was told…someone would be coming down this way," ChaosGallantmon said. "I was ordered…to destroy that person, but I…I didn't know it was _you_…"

"That's because I didn't tell you," a deep voice boomed.

"Master! I—"

"No need for words, ChaosGallantmon. Just do your job."

"Who is that?" I asked.

"Well…I suppose it _has_ been a while since we've last met," the voice replied. "The very least I could do is grace you with my visit before your former friend here skewers you with his lance and serves you for lunch!" A light blue shadow crept out from underneath ChaosGallantmon, and from it rose a Digimon. "Please tell me you haven't forgotten my beautiful face, have you?"

"Ice…Devimon..." The memories of that Digimon, of the horrible things he'd done, the things he made Clive do, instantly rushed into my head. "This Digimon…Gallantmon…you're working for him?" ChaosGallantmon lowered his head and remained silent. "You are…you really are working for this terrible person?"

"Okay, okay, I'll admit it; I'm a bad guy," IceDevimon said. "The powers I gave to Clive while living inside him…he used them to murder your precious sister…Hannah, wasn't it?" I said nothing as he spoke; my hand was gripped tightly around the opening of the satchel at my waist. "And then there were all those naughty things Clive did before he was even aware of my existence…I knew what it was he had done, and I _chose_ him as the host for my spirit until I fully recovered. I _chose_ the man that had raped Thomas's surrogate mother when she was sixteen. Clive may have been a bumbling idiot, but we did share _that_ particular interest in common…" IceDevimon grinned at me. But soon, it faded. "Now, on to business. Your right eye, Zelda. Show it to me. _Right now!_" My heart skipped a beat, and hesitantly, I moved my hair away from my right eye. In the blink of an eye, IceDevimon stood directly in front of me, and was looking directly into my eyes. "…Hmm…Both the same color…I figured she may have died her green hair a different color, but there's nothing that can be done about eyes, I suppose…But you are not the woman I was searching for for all those years…"

"You…you _knew_ Zelda would be coming this way, didn't you?" ChaosGallantmon asked.

"Of _course_ I did! I knew she was a Summoner; I knew she would sense your presence once she got to that fork in the road. And she's alone, too…That'll make it easier for us to…have our fun."

"You…you would actually—"

"Get to it!" IceDevimon barked, interrupting the Digimon Spirit. "I didn't make you stronger just to have you bitch at me all day!" ChaosGallantmon lowered his head, and then turned to face me.

"Zelda…I'm sorry…"

"…You know…I fought someone out of revenge once…it wasn't too long ago," I said. I pulled a Digimon Talisman from my satchel and gazed at it. "The feeling I got…while I did it…I made him hurt. I made him bleed, and feel pain…I wasn't able to control myself while I was attacking him over and over like that…It was awful, the feeling I got when it was all over, when I realized what I had done. I…I don't _ever_ want to feel that way again; I don't want to experience that feeling I got from hurting someone else…But this Digimon…IceDevimon…he _needs_ to die. He is not someone that can be allowed to roam free. For Hannah…for Victoria…for all the people you've hurt…IceDevimon must perish!"

"I…I'm afraid I can't let you do that," ChaosGallantmon said sullenly, raising his lance. "IceDevimon is my master…he made me stronger…I won't let you…hurt him…"

"I'm sorry…I don't want to hurt you, but he _must_ be dealt with!" I said. "Come forth, Dynasmon!"


	78. Strength of Heart

**Bellaluna Rosalina**

**Black Rose Mountains**

Small drops of blood fell from Parrotmon's beak as he opened it, revealing that Chrysania's left hand was hanging by a few threads. "What…what have you done to her?!" I asked, unable to control my sobbing. Poor Chrysania's screaming filled the air. "She's…just a baby…What kind of…monsters…could do such a terrible thing…to such a sweet…young…girl?!" I tried to force myself up, but Asuramon pushed his foot down harder on my back.

"Tell us what we want to know," Asuramon's blue-masked face said. "I don't wish to see this child harmed any more than you do. Tell us. _Now_."

"Or maybe you need another demonstration of what we're capable of?" Parrotmon asked, forcefully raising Chrysania's right arm.

"No…please…"

"Mommy…help me," Chrysania said, her face wet with tears.

"…Your maternal instincts for this one are strong despite her not actually being your daughter, I'll admit," Asuramon's yellow-masked face said. "It can be said that that is the source of your innermost power…but it is also your greatest weakness, Bellaluna. What kind of mother would just sit by as her beloved daughter gets tortured like this?"

"Why haven't you told us yet? It's obvious _that's_ the ideal thing for you to do," Parrotmon said.

"If I…tell you…" I tried unsuccessfully to move my arms and wipe the tears from my face. "If I told you…you'd only use them to…hurt more people…more innocent children like Chrysania…"

"And if you _don't _tell us, then an innocent person _exactly like_ Chrysania _will_ get hurt!" Parrotmon laughed. "Exactly like her…because it _is_ her! Get it?!"

"Enough of the jokes, Parrotmon!" Asuramon's red-masked face barked. "I'm not in a generous mood anymore, Bellaluna; I no longer care if your fake daughter gets hurt! Give us the power to use any Digimon attack! Give us Maleficia!"

"First…release Chrysania…and let me help her," I said. "Then, I…I'll tell you everything…"

"…Yeah, right; like we're dumb enough to fall for _that_ old ruse!" Parrotmon said.

"I don't think she quite gets the message," Asuramon said. "The hostage gets released when we get what we want. Convey it to her again, Parrotmon."

"Gladly!"

"No! Mommy, help me!" Chrysania wailed.

"Let her go!" I screamed. "Don't hurt—"

"Fire Fist of Shiva!" Asuramon punched the back of my head, nearly knocking me unconscious. Chrysania's screaming filled the air as I heard Parrotmon's beak snap shut around her other wrist.

_I…have to…save her…And the only way I can is to use it…But…what if…I hurt her? It's dangerous to use; it's unpredictable and hard to control, and I haven't used it since the day I found her…_

"Well, Bellaluna? Are you ready to concede?" Asuramon asked.

_I have to…It's the only way I can save her…_

"Well?"

"I think you knocked her unconscious, buddy," Parrotmon said.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Asuramon barked.

"You guys…want Maleficia?" I asked.

"That's why we're here," Parrotmon said.

"You want it…then I'll give it to you!" My body became enveloped in a blinding, golden light.

"No! That light! She's using it!" Asuramon gasped.

"I'll make you pay…for hurting my baby!"

* * *

**Zelda**

"Chaos Disaster!" ChaosGallantmon's lance pierced clear through Dynasmon's chest. Dynasmon roared and punched the opposing Digimon Spirit in the face before disappearing.

"Good! Now, finish the job!" IceDevimon shouted excitedly. ChaosGallantmon slowly began walking up to me, avoiding looking me in the eye. "Remember to keep her alive…I'd like to be able to hear her _scream_."

The Dark Knight came to a stop. "I…I can't do it," he whispered.

"Come forth, SaberLeomon!"

"I'm ready for action!" the Digimon Spirit said.

"…SaberLeomon? All I see is a Leomon," IceDevimon noted. Leomon looked down at himself.

"Oh, my bad; I forgot to Digivolve!" Leomon laughed nervously. "All right, here goes; Leomon Digivolve to—"

"Judecca Prison!" ChaosGallantmon emitted a dark energy beam from his shield at Leomon, making him disappear before he could even Digivolve.

"No more hesitations, ChaosGallantmon!" IceDevimon said. "Do your job! Or else!"

"…I…I…I can't do it," ChaosGallantmon said. "I can't hurt her…" The Digimon Spirit fell to his knees, facing me. "She…she still cares about me…even though I abandoned her when she needed my help…"

IceDevimon grimaced. "If you can't do it, get out of my way!" he said. "Avalanche Claw!"

"No!" ChaosGallantmon leapt in front of me, protecting me from IceDevimon's attack with his shield. "I won't…let you hurt her!"

"You won't _let_ me? Don't forget, _I_ was the one who gave you power, and I can easily take it all away from you!" IceDevimon laughed.

"Chaos Shot!" ChaosGallantmon fired a blast of dark energy from his spear right at IceDevimon's chest, sending him flying into a far-off cliff. "Zelda…I…"

"Thank you," I said. "For protecting me…thank you…"

"I'm sorry…I'm so…sorry…"

"I know you are…But there's nothing for you to feel sorry for," I said. "You didn't do anything wrong…" _That…that's what Luna was trying to tell me…Even now, I say it to Gallantmon when I don't believe myself of being truly innocent…_ I smiled, laughing at my own patheticness.

"I will make it up to you, Zelda," ChaosGallantmon said. "I will destroy IceDevimon…I'll do whatever you want…from now on."

"Gallantmon…"

"You'll _destroy_ me?! Good luck trying; Tundra Freeze!" A blue light shone down on us from the sky; ChaosGallantmon ran over to me and covered me, taking IceDevimon's attack full on. The light vanished, and when I looked up, ChaosGallantmon was nowhere to be seen. In his place stood Gallantmon, exactly as I knew him before.

"You're finished!" Gallantmon yelled. "Royal Saber!" Gallantmon's lance fired a surge of light the punctured IceDevimon's chest and sent the Champion level Digimon falling to the ground.

"How…how did you turn back?!" IceDevimon asked, attempting to cover the gaping hole on his chest with his hands. "What the hell happened?! Don't tell me that _girl_ had something to do with it?!"

"She did," Gallantmon said. "It was her light…Her light brought me back to the way I was when we first met."

"My…light?"

"Your kind and pure heart," Gallantmon explained. "When we met…I was oblivious to such things…But now I know. Zelda…my desire to protect you gave me the power to be able to do so. And now…I shall finally do my job right…and destroy IceDevimon! Final Elysion!" Gallantmon's shield fired a pure white beam that completely obliterated IceDevimon. Nothing remained of him when the attack ended.

"Gallantmon…you did it!" I exclaimed.

"No…_we_ did it," Gallantmon said. "If it weren't for you…I'd have never been able to turn back into Gallantmon…I'd have never even _thought_ of defeating IceDevimon. You…you helped me find not only the physical strength necessary, but…but also the strength of heart necessary to do so. Thank you, Zelda."

"I…I'm glad I was able to help you so much," I said. "And…I really am happy to see you again…Oh, Gallantmon, it's been so long!"

"I'm sorry. I won't ever leave your side again. That I promise," Gallantmon said. "If there's ever anything that you require, call me, and I shall get it for you."

"Gallantmon..." I smiled up at the Exalted Knight, and suddenly gasped. "The Horcruxes!"

"The Sword, Flute, and Mirror?" Gallantmon asked. "I know where IceDevimon keeps them…are they what you desire?"

"They're kind of why I came here, with my friend," I said. "It's important that we keep them away from the Bio Hybrids."

"Understood," Gallantmon said. "I shall find them for you and return posthaste."


	79. Bandit Witch

**Zelda**

**Black Rose Mountains**

"Gallantmon! That didn't take very long!" I said happily. Gallantmon bent down and revealed the three Horcruxes he held in his hand. The Mirror, the Flute…and Saias's Sword… "Gallantmon…I don't know how I could ever thank you enough…"

"Would you like to know something?" Gallantmon asked. I looked up expectantly at the Digimon Spirit. "A little while ago…I was visited by DeathPhantomon."

"DeathPhantomon…one of Lilithmon's allies?" I asked. Gallantmon nodded. "What…did he want?"

"He was very gracious…In fact, he gave me the ability to use an attack I had lost once he had been freed from the Dark Area," Gallantmon said.

"An…attack?"

"Indeed…would you like a demonstration?" Gallantmon asked. When I remained silent, Gallantmon stood straight up and became enveloped in a black light. "Shadow Evolution! Premenitmon!"

I watched in amazement as the form of Gallantmon changed into that of the lizard-like Bio Hybrid. "Zelda…it's been quite some time since we've met," Sephyrus said. "At least, as far as your memory is concerned, it has been. For me, it was yesterday."

"Sephyrus…it was…you?" I asked. "The entire time…you were Gallantmon?"

"No, not the entire time," BioPremenitmon said. "The Gallantmon that protected you — the one that walked off just moments before — that was really _your_ Gallantmon. I simply found the Horcruxes before he did. Oh, and you don't need to worry about him; our paths haven't crossed, so he hasn't been harmed."

"Then…with those three…"

"Yes; with these Horcruxes, we now possess all ten Horcruxes!" BioPremenitmon exclaimed.

"Royal Saber!" A blast of lightning struck the rock the Bio Hybrid stood on, causing it to explode and shatter into hundreds of small pieces.

"So long, Zelda! And thank you for all your hard work! I could never have done it without you!" BioPremenitmon began running off. "Shadow Evolution! Gryphonmon!" In his new form, the Bio Hybrid took flight, and in the blink of an eye, he was out of sight.

"Zelda…I'm sorry," Gallantmon came running out of IceDevimon's Castle. "I…couldn't find them before he did…"

"No…Gallantmon, it isn't your fault," I said, giving the Digimon Spirit a small smile.

"What should we do?"

"Well…right now, we should go and find my friend, Luna."

"Then…she's probably fighting Asuramon and Parrotmon," Gallantmon said.

"Are they strong?" I asked.

"Parrotmon's a bit of an idiot and a loudmouth, so he shouldn't be causing her too much of a problem," Gallantmon said. "But Asuramon…if she isn't careful, he could easily defeat her…"

"Let's go, then! We have to hurry!"

* * *

**Bellaluna Rosalina**

"She's using it!" Asuramon gasped. "She's using Maleficia!"

"Shell Needle Rain!" Countless spikes shot out from my back and pierced through Asuramon's legs, knocking the Ultimate Digimon over. I turned to face Parrotmon; the other Ultimate had a frightened look in his eyes, and he gently placed Chrysania on the ground as I began to stand up.

"No need for…any more violence, right?" Parrotmon asked, laughing nervously. "You…you wouldn't actually—"

I ignored his pathetic pleading. "Blue Prominence!" A ball of blue flames formed in my hands, and I fired it off as a stream of blue plasma at Parrotmon, who was instantly killed when the attack hit him.

"You're getting to be a problem…Bellaluna," Asuramon said. He was standing, and the spikes I had shot into his legs were now in his hands and being used as swords. "IceDevimon…would not approve of anyone being a problem to us!" The tips of the spikes became ignited in flames, and the Ultimate Digimon rushed forth.

"Avalanche Axes!" A pair of axes fell from the sky, and I hurled them at the approaching Digimon, slicing his four arms clear off. Asuramon fell to his back, unable to get up.

"The randomness…of Maleficia…always seems to work out in your favor," Asuramon's blue-masked face said. "It's…a pity, really…you could've done…so much more with it…"

"Fenrir Sword!" A large sword materialized in my hands, and I thrust its blade deep into Asuramon's chest. The flames covering his body dispersed as the Ultimate Digimon slowly became encased in ice.

"…Nicely…done…Luna," Asuramon's yellow-masked face said. "It was…good…seeing you again…"

"Electron Cannon!" From the palms of my hands, I unleashed a devastating electrical blast that struck him directly in his frozen face. Asuramon and the blade wedged in his chest shattered into thousands of little pieces, the ever-prominent smile on his right head remaining until it, too, shattered with the rest of his body. "Chrysania!" The golden light I emitted vanished as I ran over to the injured girl and crouched down next to her; to my immense relief, she was still breathing, though just barely. Her face had gone completely pale from the loss of blood. "Hang on, Chrysania; mommy's got you! Mommy's going to make you all better…" I hurriedly drew two cross-shaped designs in the dirt with Chrysania's blood. Her hands, which had been hanging on by a few threads at the wrists, joined back together with her arms. They looked good as new, as if they hadn't been nearly torn off in the first place. "Chrysania! Chrysania! Oh, please, be okay, Chrissy!" I lifted the small girl's upper body off the ground and tightly hugged her, crying. "Please…be okay…"

"Chrissy is okay…mommy," Chrysania said, smiling up at me as I laid her down into my lap.

"Chrissy…_why_…why did you follow me?" I asked tearfully.

"Chrissy was…worried about her mommy…She wanted to make sure Zelda or her mommy wouldn't get hurt while they were gone…"

I smiled back at her, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Chrissy…the next time mommy tells you to stay behind…do it." Chrysania nodded. As she continued looking up at me, her smile began to fade. "What's wrong? I'm not mad at you, if that's what you're wondering…"

"No…It's…that Digimon that bit Chrissy…he said…He said that…you used to work with him…Is that true, mommy?"

"…Yes, it is," I said.

"Can you…tell Chrissy about it? That Digimon…told Chrissy what you did the day we met…"

"He…told you that?" I felt the blood drain from my face.

"You…you destroyed Chrissy's village when she was younger…Did you…really work with those two Digimon? Or did he lie to Chrissy?"

"…No. No, he…he didn't lie," I said. "A little over ten years ago, when I was about nineteen…I worked with Asuramon and Parrotmon under IceDevimon's rule…as bandits."

"B—Bandits?"

"It was the only way for me to get money," I said. "I was young and foolish…when I was fifteen, those two told me they needed a witch of my skill to work with them. It was the first time I had ever been praised for my work…so I did whatever IceDevimon asked of me without hesitation. I destroyed villages, murdered innocents with a smile on my face, ruined thousands of lives, and gorged myself on their blood until I felt as though my stomach would burst…Whenever I worked with Parrotmon, or Asuramon, or Zudomon, IceDevimon would always remind us to not kill any girls that had green hair; he always said to bring any we found directly to him…The day I met you, Chrysania…It was a day unlike any other. I had just finished destroying your home village of Lady's Mantle in Cherifia Territory. I had burned everything to the ground with Parrotmon and Asuramon on my side…until only you were left. Three years old, and you were standing all alone, surrounded by flames, and…you were crying. You had no idea what was going on, but you were frightened…and it was all you could do. You were scared and alone, and…in that state, you reminded me of myself…Scared…and all alone in the world…"

"Chrissy…doesn't remember this…"

"When the three of us found you…It was as if I had just realized what I had done those past four years…You had nowhere else to go, so it was at that moment that I decided to adopt you myself…But I couldn't stay and live on as a bandit with a three-year old adopted daughter…so I left…and joined Lachesis as its witch, back when Apollomon, Dianamon, BlackGaomon, and SlashAngemon were the only members. I joined them to fight against bandits like Parrotmon and Asuramon…mostly as atonement for what I had done to you…but also…I wanted to be a good role model for you…But I can clearly say that I've failed…Rather, I've never had a chance." Chrysania reached up and placed her small hand over my cheek.

"You've done a good job…mommy," Chrysania smiled. I smiled back sadly, and shook my head.

"No…No, I'm…I'm a terrible person, Chrissy!" I said. "I ravaged your entire village! I killed your entire family! I…" a dagger materialized in my hand without my notice. "Chrissy…I understand…if you hate me…for what I've done. You deserve to live a life without hate…" I raised the dagger up to my neck. "But there's no need for you to dirty your pretty hands…"

"NOOOO!" Chrysania quickly snatched the dagger out of my hand and tossed it far away from me. "Mommy…you can't die!"

"You don't…hate me?"

"No! Chrissy _loves_ you! You can't leave her without a mommy! Chrissy doesn't remember her real mommy, so _you're_ now Chrissy's real mommy! Chrissy doesn't care about what you did in the past! Please don't leave Chrissy all alone!" Chrysania had thrown her arms around my waist, and begun sobbing uncontrollably into the front of my shirt. "Chrissy…loves you…mommy…"

"Chrysania…I…I love you, too," I said, stroking the back of her head. "I'm sorry…I promise I'll never leave you again." Chrysania raised her head, smiling at me.

"Mommy…why did you never tell Chrissy you could do such powerful magic?"

"Powerful magic? Oh…you mean Maleficia?" Chrysania nodded. "It…can be very dangerous to use," I said. "First of all, it's difficult to control the attacks, making it difficult to hit my target. However, the main reason I never showed it to you…was because the Digimon attacks called forth by it are chosen at random. If I had gotten the wrong attack…I could have killed us all…"

"Oh…"

"Well, that's enough about that," I said. "We need to find Zelda. Do you feel okay enough to walk?"

"Yeah, Chrissy's feeling better!" The young witch stood up and smiled down at me. "Thank you…mommy…"

"I'm glad you're feeling better," I said, standing up too. "Mommy's little angel…"

"Are you two okay?" a voice called out to us.

"Zelda! Yay, Zelda's here now!" Chrysania ran up to and threw her arms around Zelda. "Is Zelda okay, too? Zelda didn't get hurt, did she?"

"No, I'm fine, sweetie," Zelda said. "A lot has happened, though…"

"…Why don't you tell us about it on our way back home?" I suggested.

"I think that would be best…"

* * *

**Sephyrus**

**1 Hour**

I followed a river that led from the mountains all the way into the dense jungle of Lotisea, eventually coming to a stop at Lake Viscaria.

"The original resting place of Hydramon," I said. "Now…it shall be known as his second waking place." I placed the Clairvoyant's Mirror into the frigid waters of the lake and watched it sink slowly and gently to the shallow bottom. As it slowly floated away, I begun reciting the ancient words Lilithmon had taught me. The mirror emitted a bright gleam that cut through the clear blue surface of the water, and in mere moments, the monstrous Hydramon stood before me. "Good to have you join us, Hydramon."

"At long, bloody last…liberation!" Hydramon exclaimed. "But…you said 'us,' didn't you? You are the only one in sight…"

"Lilithmon couldn't be bothered to come here herself, but she _is_ here in spirit," I said. "Also, DeathPhantomon is still on the prowl somewhere; for all _we_ know, he could actually be here. I just cannot fathom what goes on in that mind of his…"

"I understand perfectly," Hydramon smirked.

"Now…forgive me if I am wrong, good sir, but…do you not have eight heads?" I asked. "I see only one…"

"You are correct; ages past, I was once an Orochimon, a destructive eight-headed beast. However…those heads were but a mere illusion, and were little more than puppets. Upon evolution to the Mega level, the other heads seem to have gained a mind of their own, with their own individual personalities. It shames me to say this, but…if too many of my heads are present, we all begin to bicker. I keep only a few of my heads visible to avoid just that. Now, enough of the pleasant chit-chat, Sephyrus; I need to speak with Lilithmon. Quite urgently, really. Might you know where I can find her?"

"She is in Mandala, good sir," I replied.

"Mandala…and we're in Lotisea? Of _course_ she chose to live in a place on the other side of the continent…"

"Look at the bright side, Hydramon; Mandala sank to the bottom of the ocean," I said.

"Well…that is good news, isn't it? Haven't had a good swim in a while!" Hydramon looked quite thrilled. "Care to join me, Sephyrus?"

"I'm afraid I cannot; I still need to free Machinedramon and Lupinemon."

"I understand," Hydramon's center head nodded.


	80. Demon Beast

**Zelda**

**Saias's Villa**

**1 Day**

"…And now, the Bio Hybrids have all ten Horcruxes," I said. With Apollomon, Dianamon, and Pheragas gone, the living room felt empty, even with everyone else sitting around me, listening intently to my explanation of what has happened. "I…you can blame me if you'd like. Sephyrus tricked me; he turned into Gallantmon, and he…"

Thomas, sitting next to me, gently took my hand in his. "I have no intention of blaming you for any of this, Zelda," he said, smiling at me. "It is the fault of Lilithmon and the Bio Hybrids, and we will stop them no matter how many Digimon they call forth from the Dark Area."

"We should prepare for the worst, though," BlackGaomon said, looking grimly at everyone in the room.

"We still have to deal with three other Digimon," Statuedramon said, pacing the floor. "And then there's also that DeathPhantomon, too."

"Which means five of the twelve walk free," Thomas said. "With this many, they'll be more powerful than the others were."

"And don't forget, nobody knows what happened to Cherubimon," BlackGaomon added. "For all we know, he could still be alive."

"…Meaning half of them are alive, if Cherubimon is," Luna pointed out. The others nodded in agreement with her observation.

"What should we do?" Statch asked, taking a bite of his cheeseburger.

"Without Apollomon, we can't do anything," BlackGaomon said gravely. "We must wait for him, Dianamon, and Pheragas to return, and hopefully, they'll have Seraphimon with them."

* * *

**Sephyrus**

**Braig's Lab**

_Over four weeks it's been since IceDevimon froze this place over…and yet, the ice remains intact!_ The ice that incased the laboratory gleamed in the bright sunlight. _Should I…go in? It can supposedly kill one with just a touch…I'd better not risk it, even if I am a Bio Hybrid._

Closing my eyes, I thrust Saias's sword deep into the ice and began chanting the ancient words. The first thing I heard when I finished the incantation was the ice shattering. The sword fall from my hands and landed on the paved sidewalk. Machinedramon now stood before me, looking around in awe.

"…So many buildings," Machinedramon said.

"Yes, a lot has changed since you've been here last," I said. "What you knew to be a barren wasteland has developed into a thriving city."

Machinedramon grunted. "I detest civilization; other beings must be living in fear of one supreme being…and that being…is _me_."

I bowed my head slightly in deference to him. "And so it _shall_ be, Machinedramon. But first…perhaps you ought to pay a visit to dear Lilithmon? She is expecting you, good sir."

"Very well; lead me to her, then," Machinedramon said.

"Lilithmon is currently residing within Mandala City, which, I'm afraid, has sunk to the bottom of the ocean," I explained.

"Bottom of the ocean?! How do you expect _me_ to get there?!" Machinedramon roared.

"…I know of a few…shortcuts," I said. "Come with me; I shall take you to her, good sir."

* * *

**BlackGaomon**

**Saias's Villa**

"But…we can't just sit here, doing nothing!" Statch exclaimed. "What if they haven't released the other three yet? We should go out and stop them before that happens!"

"And what would happen if we actually ran into them?" I asked, turning to face Statch. "Without Apollomon…without Dianamon, or Pheragas, or even Seraphimon, we wouldn't stand a chance against the remaining six Digimon. The other six you fought were nothing compared to the other half."

"…Are they that powerful?" Thomas asked, looking surprised.

I nodded. "All twelve are powerful on their own, but these remaining six…they're so powerful, they could lay waste to the entire continent in a matter of days," I said. "Cherubimon is a Celestial Digimon, the same as Lilithmon used to be, and Seraphimon is, and you three," I pointed to Statch, Zelda, and Thomas. "You three already know how powerful she is. And then, the Digimon Hydramon is practically immortal, with the ability to regenerate almost all of his eight heads except for his main one; add to that his clairvoyant abilities, and you've got a Digimon that will never let himself get killed."

"He just hasn't met the right opponent yet," Statch boasted, puffing his chest out. "I'll cut off every single head of that eight-headed freak!"

I sighed, growing impatient with the Rookie Digimon's display of bravado.

"Please continue," Thomas told me, and I nodded at the assassin.

"DeathPhantomon is next…he has the ability to lock his opponents in an eternal nightmare, never to awake again…furthermore, he can also turn them into spirits. As spirits, his opponents will not be able to hit him with their attacks, but he can hit them with his special scythe; the Scythe of Soul's Harvest."

"His scythe…can bring harm to ethereal beings?" Thomas asked.

I nodded. "I don't know the logic behind it, but he can. It's also the same with Lupinemon…She uses light-based attacks, and may appear to be an Exalted Beast, but in reality…she's a Demon Beast. Her light can sear through ethereal beings as DeathPhantomon's scythe can slice through them. And finally, there's Machinedramon…an enormous Digimon designed for total annihilation. He won't stop destroying until there's nothing left to destroy…and even then, he might not stop."

"BlackGaomon…how do you know all of this?" Luna asked, a puzzled expression crossing her face. "I thought you and Pheragas joined at the same time."

"No…After Apollomon, Dianamon, and SlashAngemon, who obviously knew all of this information, formed this group…I was the first to join them, around one-hundred years ago. As the first to join, they gave me some of the information they had. About twenty years ago, Pheragas joined after he was sick of his father pushing him to join the Valencian Knights. He didn't like the way they did things, and he still doesn't."

"Why didn't Apollomon tell me?" Luna asked. "Chrysania and I were next to join, just before Garret and MetalEtemon…"

"It wasn't something we were trying to keep a secret from you guys," I said. "It's just…kind of difficult to work in to a casual conversation, you know? It's also a bit of a touchy subject for him; according to Dianamon, he had lost a past lover to one of those twelve, and I'd be willing to bet it was Cherubimon who killed her."

"Why him?" Chrysania asked from behind Luna's skirt. The poor child hadn't left her mother's side since her terrible ordeal in the Black Rose Mountains the day before.

"Cherubimon was the member of that group Apollomon went after, remember? Though, he wasn't successful, and that's why I have a feeling that Cherubimon's still alive today."

"All the more reason why we should go!" Statch exclaimed, jumping up. "If one of those evil bastards hurt our boss, then it's up to us, his employees and friends, to kick his ass in retribution!"

"Sit down!" I ordered. "As long as Dianamon and Apollomon are away, _I_ am in charge. Got it?" The taller Rookie, clearly surprised by my tone of voice, sat back down next to Thomas. "For now…we will just sit…and wait. That, dear comrades…is an order."

"BlackGaomon…forgive my impertinence, but I think that's a really terrible idea," Thomas said. "I'll go along with it as you've ordered…but I think it's only fair that I let you know where I stand on this."

"I agree with Thomas," Luna said. "We can't just sit and wait for those Digimon to come back…I'll follow along, but only because Apollomon clearly trusts you enough to leave you in charge."

"I think it's a fucking awful idea!" Statch shouted. "I don't care if Apollomon left you in charge, BlackGaomon; you are _not_ Apollomon! Apollomon would never make us sit and wait for them to come to us!" Statuedramon leapt off the couch and ran upstairs.

* * *

**Sephyrus**

**Mandala City**

"Welcome home," I said to Machinedramon as we were teleported to the underwater city.

"…This place is in ruins," Machinedramon said, looking around at the fallen buildings and piles of rubble. "A job well done; nearly everything is in shambles. Do you know the identity of the one who did this?"

"I believe this happened during a fight between Neptunemon and Belphemon. There have been several other fights here since then, though, so perhaps the credit should not go to them alone…"

"…Really well done," Machinedramon commented. "This destruction…it may have been accidental, but it really is quite artistic!"

"I see you haven't changed a bit, Machinedramon," said a lilting female voice.

"Lilithmon, where are you?!" Machinedramon asked, having forgotten about the beauteous destruction immediately upon hearing Lilithmon's voice.

"I'm right here, silly." Machinedramon looked down and saw the beautiful Mega level Digimon standing right in front of him. "How've you been, Machinedramon?"

"HOW HAVE I BEEN?! I was locked up two-hundred years longer than I should have been, and you're asking me how I am?!"

"Yes."

Machinedramon knelt down as best he could to look Lilithmon in the face. "Don't get _cute_ with me; you may be the strongest of the twelve of us, but don't think I won't hesitate to attack you. Don't antagonize me."

"Antagonize you? Don't be ridiculous, Machinedramon; I wouldn't dare _dream_ of doing that," Lilithmon said coyly. "Now, Sephyrus, you did well, finding the Sword and bringing Machinedramon back. Did you find the Flute or the Mirror?"

"Both of them," I said. "I have already freed Hydramon from his prison; has he not yet arrived?"

"I'm here," Hydramon suddenly said, walking up to our group, shaking the ground with each step he took.

"Good to see you again, Hydramon," Lilithmon smirked.

"It seems as though I'm not needed here," I said to myself. "I'll be on my way to the Savage Prairie so I can free Lupinemon, then…"

* * *

**10 Minutes**

The Savage Prairie was the same as ever; an endless sea of tall grass, with nary a tree in sight.

"I suppose this is as good a place as any…" I placed the Flute on a nearby rock and began reciting the ancient words. A golden light illuminated the area, and soon, a golden, wolf-like Digimon stood before me.

"You certainly took your time," Lupinemon growled, baring her sharp fangs. "Care to explain why _I_ was the last one to be freed?!"

"Forgive my tardiness, my fair lady; based on how the release spell works, it was simply easiest to free you last," I said.

"Whatever; now, where's Lilithmon?!" she demanded impatiently.

"Fret not, milady; in a few moment's time, I'll have brought you to her whereabouts."

* * *

**10 Minutes**

"I have returned," I said.

"How did it go? There weren't any interruptions, were there?" Lilithmon asked.

I shook my head and announced, "Lupinemon is with me."

The glimmering Demon Beast walked up to Lilithmon and bared her fangs. "You could not even be bothered to be there when I was released, so you send your Bio Hybrid flunky to free me instead," Lupinemon growled.

"Yes, Lilithmon; why have you been here this entire time instead of freeing us?" Hydramon asked in a snide voice.

"I don't care about _that_!" Lupinemon snapped. "There's only one thing I wish to discuss with Lilithmon!"

"Yes? What is it?"

"Your punishment."


	81. Disobedience

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**Living Room**

"…Tommy…what do you think we should do?" Zelda asked nervously. "We can't…just sit here, and wait for those evil Digimon to start hurting people…" I looked around the empty room and sighed.

"We don't have any choice," I said. "This isn't like before when the three of us snuck away to Braig's laboratory…Those Digimon we're fighting…those twelve…If their power is enough to frighten Apollomon to the point where he won't allow us to fight without Seraphimon's help, then it might be best that we do what he says. With Seraphimon, the members of Lachesis are the only ones who can stand up to those twelve, not to mention Michalis and Sephyrus." I turned to look at Zelda; she looked exhausted, and she was slumped up against me on a couch, with her eyes half open and her head resting atop my right shoulder. In reality, I was just as nervous as she was, and the warmth of her body was very comforting. I placed my arm around her and said, "I don't like BlackGaomon's decision any more than you, or Statch, or Luna…but it is the wisest decision. If something were to happen to any of us, the chances that the remainder of our group triumphs over Lilithmon slims down astronomically. That is why I go along with BlackGaomon. People may get hurt waiting for us, but if we rush in and get ourselves killed, then more and more people will get hurt, and there will be nobody around to stop it."

"We have no choice but to get involved…because that is what we do," Zelda replied. "But still…I…I'm scared, Tommy…" Zelda placed her hand over mine and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Since they're so powerful…it's almost guaranteed that someone here will get hurt…I don't want to see anyone I care about get hurt ever again…especially you, Tommy."

"…I…feel the same way," I whispered. "Especially about you, Zelda."

"Thomas…have you seen Statuedramon?" BlackGaomon asked, walking into the room.

"Statuedramon? Didn't…didn't he go up to his room?" I asked.

"He's not there."

"He's…He ran away!" I stood up, grabbed my sword, and ran to the front door of the villa.

"You know where he went?" BlackGaomon asked. Zelda, holding the satchel that contained her Digimon Talismans, ran after me.

"Isn't it obvious? He went to Mandala to deal with those Digimon because you forbade him to!" I said. "The two of us will go and bring him back before he does anything stupid!"

* * *

**Sephyrus**

**Mandala City**

"There's only one thing I wish to discuss with Lilithmon," Lupinemon said.

"Yes? What is it?" Lilithmon asked.

"Your punishment."

"Punishment?! But…I've freed all of you! Have I not done that? Have I not released you all from the Dark Area?!" Lilithmon demanded. "Please…have mercy…"

"You dare request mercy?!" Hydramon asked.

"Have I not earned it? I've released all of you…"

"How curious, then…that six of our friends remain trapped in the void with no way to get out!" Lupinemon snarled.

"The three of us should obliterate you on _their_ behalf," Machinedramon said.

"I kept my word! I freed the lot of you! I cannot be blamed for the meddling of Lachesis and its members!" Lilithmon yelled.

"_You_ did not free us," Hydramon said. "And _you_, Lily, did _not_ keep your word."

"Haven't I?!"

"Freeing us was _your_ job, and _not_ Sephyrus's," Machinedramon said.

"There's been talk in the Dark Area about having _him_ replace you," Lupinemon said. "He seems _far_ more worthy of joining us than you are of staying with us."

I could not help but smile at the compliment.

"I, for one, would be most welcoming to our Bio Hybrid ally," Hydramon said. "He's a good chap; very polite, and easy to talk to. You, on the other hand, are very easy to talk _down_ to."

"Why have someone like that in our group?" Lupinemon asked. "All twelve of us are equals…is the way it should be. Instead, it is eleven equals and _one sniveling coward!_"

"Pardon for the interruption!" the five of us looked straight up to see the form of DeathPhantomon descending from the ocean and through the protective barrier surrounding the city. "The wind has brought the sweetest of rumors to mine ears!"

"What do you want, DeathPhantomon?" Hydramon asked.

"Rumor tells that sweet Lilithmon is about to receive her punishment; verily, hath I cometh to partake in such a momentous activity!"

"DeathPhantomon…just…just stop," Lupinemon said, shaking her head. DeathPhantomon, ignoring her, hovered over to Lilithmon.

"Thou hath been very naughty, Lilithmon; to thine ass go the spankings!"

"Shut up, DeathPhantomon!" Machinedramon roared. "This…punishment…isn't like the ones in your sick, sexual fantasies!"

"Thou would be surprised of what bringeth enjoyment to me," DeathPhantomon cackled.

"Not…anymore," Hydramon said. All three of Hydramon's visible heads had a traumatized look on their faces. "Not since you locked me in that nightmare involving the mango and the Kudamon…"

"Stop talking!" Lupinemon said hurriedly. DeathPhantomon laughed eerily once more. "No, I'm serious; I think I hear someone coming!"

"Sword of Dragon's Soul!" a clear projection of a sword whizzed down past my head and struck the concrete ground in front of Hydramon and Machinedramon.

"I smell…an unfamiliar scent," Lupinemon growled.

"I believe a friend from Lachesis has come to join us," I said. "Do join us…won't you, Statuedramon?"

"I would _never_ join _your_ side, Bio Hybrid!" Statuedramon said, leaping down from a marble column in front of me.

"That…wasn't exactly what I meant…"

"Who's this small fry?" Hydramon asked.

"Everyone, I would like to introduce you to Statuedramon," I said. "He is the Digimon partner of the Human that killed SkullCaliphmon."

"_This_ is the Digimon Horusmon spoke so fondly of?!" Machinedramon asked.

"But…he's just a Rookie level," Lupinemon said.

"Regardless, it seems that letting him live would be disadvantageous to our group," Hydramon said. "_I_ shall be the one to deal with him; Herculean Slicer!" Hydramon forcefully brought down his sword-shaped tail at the small Rookie, who blocked the attack with his own sword remarkably well.

"Is this…the best you've got?!" Statuedramon asked. "I've taken stronger attacks from In-Training level Digimon!"

"You wish for something stronger?" Hydramon asked, raising his tail slightly.

"You don't want to know what that main head is capable of!" one of Hydramon's other heads said.

"Hey, _I_ wanted to be the one to say that!" the third of Hydramon's heads whined.

"Well, tough shit; I said it first!" Hydramon's second head stuck its tongue out at the third head.

"Yes…well, don't say you were never adequately warned for what is about to happen," Hydramon said to Statuedramon. "Lernaean Inferno!" Hydramon's main, center head opened its mouth and unleashed a swirling orange flame at the Rookie.

"Dimensional Shield!" All of Hydramon's flames disappeared inside Statuedramon's shield, and the Rookie's sword began to glow red as it unleashed the flames back at the larger Mega, searing and burning through his thick, black scales. Hydramon could do nothing in retaliation as Statuedramon cut through his charred body with his sword. Machinedramon and Lupinemon stood still, watching in awe as Hydramon hit the ground, dead and dissolving into data. Lilithmon observed with a stern expression on her face, and DeathPhantomon seemed amused, although it was hard to tell with a Digimon that concealed his face. I myself was unsurprised at what had happened; I had been well aware of the Rookie's strength for quite some time. "Who'd like to go next?" Statch asked.


	82. A Dire Return

**Statuedramon**

**Mandala City**

"Who wants to go next?" I asked.

"You think you're so tough; why don't you try fighting all of us at once?!" Lupinemon asked.

"I'd be happy to!"

"That means you as well, Lilithmon," Machinedramon said.

"I—I knew that!" Lilithmon stuttered. "Then…that means Sephyrus, too!"

"Of course, milady," Sephyrus bowed.

"And where's Michalis?!" the female Demon Lord asked.

"I've sent him out to find Cherubimon," Sephyrus replied. "He's never been good at finding things, so I doubt he'll be successful…"

"Don't talk about my son that way," Lilithmon said defensively.

"Are you guys ready yet?" I asked. "Because I'd like to begin…by destroying the lot of you!"

"Big words from such a short Digimon!" Lupinemon said. "I'm ready whenever you are!"

"Have at you!" I brandished my sword. Bathed in the refracted light the flittered down from the ocean, it looked capable to repel the very evil that lurked in the depths of even Lilithmon's heart.

"Breath of Wyvern!" A large, dragon-shaped aura flew over my head and struck the advancing Digimon, creating an explosion that sent dust flying into the air.

"Statuedramon!" Thomas said. A chill went down my spine. Never once in my life had I ever heard his voice sound _that_ strict. "You heard BlackGaomon…you were ordered not to come here." Through the smoke cloud, I could see him standing at the entrance of the sunken city next to Zelda and Dynasmon.

"Oh, Statuedramon, you aren't hurt, are you?!" Zelda ran through the dust cloud and placed her arms around me. "They haven't attacked you, have they?"

"…No, I—I'm fine," I said.

Zelda looked at me; her blue eyes were filled with concern. "Oh, thank the goddess! Oh, I'm so glad you're okay!"

_She…was that worried about me?_ Thomas and Dynasmon began walking over to us. _Thomas…you sure lucked out finding a girl this sweet._ The dust cloud cleared, and the opposing Digimon were staring us down.

"BlackGaomon told us not to go because we don't stand a chance against them," Thomas said. "Next time…listen to orders when they are given, and obey them when you hear them."

"..Yeah…I'll do that," I said. The loud echoing of Machinedramon's footstep interrupted us.

"I grow weary of this; I will just destroy you all!" Machinedramon shouted. The cannons on Machinedramon's back began to glow. "Giga Cannon!"

"Get behind me!" I yelled, and just as Machinedramon unleashed his attack, I held up my shield and absorbed the cannon blast. My sword attack took on a bright silver glow as I attacked Machinedramon in return. Machinedramon was left standing, many pieces of his mechanical body short-circuiting and hanging on by a few wires. I leapt up and hacked away at him a few times with my sword, and Machinedramon was no more. "Well…as long as we're here, why don't we finish up?"

"No," Thomas said. "BlackGaomon gave us an order…and I intend to follow it through."

"Meaning you don't want to fight them."

"Not as we are now," Zelda said. "Without Apollomon and Seraphimon, we don't stand as good a chance of defeating Lilithmon!"

"…Let's go, Statch," Thomas said.

"Well, then; if you have no desire to fight, then I'll gladly step in!" Lupinemon said, lunging through the air at us.

"Dynasmon!" Zelda cried.

"Leave this to me, milady," Dynasmon said. "Dragon's Roar!" Dynasmon charged energy in the palms of his hands and rapidly punched Lupinemon to the ground as Thomas ran over to her and slit her throat with his sword. Lupinemon fell to her side, dead.

"I don't think we need their help," I said. "We seem to be doing just fine without—"

"Statch, come on!" Thomas grabbed my wrist and dragged me away from the other Digimon.

"What's the big deal?! I killed two of them all by myself, and I'll bet I can—"

"Not against DeathPhantomon," Thomas said. "He doesn't fight like other Digimon, remember? He attacks the opponents' spirit, not their physical body! We can't fight someone like that!" Thomas and Zelda forcefully dragged me over to one of the city's Blue Tiles, and in an instant, we had left Mandala, arriving at what seemed to be an empty bar in Yew.

"Okay…I'll admit DeathPhantomon would've been pretty difficult at first, but I really believe I can beat that guy!"

"You don't understand!" Thomas sighed. "There is no winning against a Digimon that fights like that…not with brute strength, at any rate, and certainly not with your usual way of doing things. To defeat DeathPhantomon, we'll need to formulate some sort of strategy."

"…Okay. Fine. Let's just go back to the villa, all right?"

Thomas nodded in agreement, and the three of us set off.

* * *

**Sephyrus**

"The _nerve_ of those pests!" Lilithmon fumed.

"'Twas quite the inconvenience, eh wot?" DeathPhantomon asked in an amused voice.

"What are you still doing here?!" Lilithmon asked. "GO AFTER THEM! Don't let them get away!"

"Of course…_milady_," DeathPhantomon said mockingly, cackling to himself as he hovered away.

"…Sephyrus. Have you any idea when Michalis might be back?"

"Right now!" Michalis said excitedly, running up to us from a Blue Tile. "Did I miss anything?"

I turned to face the boy. "Hydramon, Machinedramon, and Lupinemon were all killed," I said. "DeathPhantomon remains still, but otherwise, you haven't missed much."

"What about you?" Lilithmon looked at Michalis. "Were you successful?"

"Successful with what? Oh, right; Cherubimon! No, I couldn't find him, mother," Michalis said. "Not even the slightest clue, I'm afraid…"

Lilithmon let out a weary sigh.

"Do not worry, milady," I said. "He'll show up soon."

"I hope you're right, Sephyrus," Lilithmon said.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**Living Room**

**30 Minutes**

I stood with Zelda in one corner of the room, watching BlackGaomon pace back and forth. "…I suppose I oughtn't be surprised by what you did, Statuedramon," he said to the same-heighted Rookie sitting before him on a sofa. "That's just how you are as a person…and there's nothing that can be done about _that_."

"I guess not," Statch said. "So…can we go back and fight them, then?" I glanced from Statch's eager face to BlackGaomon's, which looked impatient.

"Absolutely not!" BlackGaomon snapped. "Not without a plan, at least; DeathPhantomon is one of the strongest members of the Order of the Enchantress. He can lock his enemies in eternal nightmares. He can change the opponent into a spirit who cannot come in contact with anything, only to be harmed by his scythe. He can change his shape. He cannot be defeated by conventional means, so we'll need an unconventional plan for stopping him."

"…I tried telling you the same thing earlier, Statuedramon," I said. The Rookie shrugged his shoulders and rolled his eyes. "BlackGaomon, didn't Apollomon give you any information on him?"

"The Digimon that killed DeathPhantomon before; didn't he at least give a name?" Statuedramon asked.

"Don't you remember? He told you it was a Flamedramon that did it," BlackGaomon said.

"Right…a different Flamedramon from the one we know," Statch said. "Hey, why don't we just find the Flamedramon _we_ know to kick his ass for us?"

"Would Flamedramon really be willing to do it?" Luna asked.

"If Zelda asks him to do it, he probably would," Chrysania said.

Everyone in the room turned to look at Zelda, and after a moment, she reluctantly said, "…Well…Flamedramon _was_ one of the Marked when he was a Human," she explained. "When we traveled together last year, the way he spoke to me…his voice sounded as though he couldn't refuse a favor from me…"

"And, of course, that's only assuming we actually know where Flamedramon is," BlackGaomon added. "Zelda…if we were to hypothetically find him, do you think you could convince him to do what we want?"

"I…I don't like taking advantage of other people's kindness, but I'll try…"

"Well, try not to think of it as simply 'taking advantage of his kindness,'" Luna suggested. "Think of it as asking for his help to protect Arcadia. I guess that does sound kind of odd, asking for help from a Digimon who once wanted to do the exact opposite, though…"

"Does Zelda know where Flamedramon might be?" Chrysania asked.

"No. Nobody's seen or heard from him since he helped us fight Lilithmon a few weeks ago," Zelda said. "It's the same with Abigail, too."

"Maybe we don't need Flamedramon," Statuedramon suggested. "If a Flamedramon was able to defeat that DeathPhantomon, then maybe all we need to do is set him on fire or something!"

"…You know…that may not be a bad idea," BlackGaomon said.

"I wouldn't count on that working," I said. "Remember what Apollomon said; DeathPhantomon is capable of changing himself, just like BioPremenitmon. I wouldn't count on the same tactic working more than once, especially for a Digimon as clever as that."

"Yeah, but—" a knock on the front door interrupted Statuedramon. BlackGaomon walked over to it and opened it, gasping in surprise.

"Apollomon?!"

The tall Mega Digimon walked with a limp into the villa.

"Apollomon, what are you doing back here? Did you find Seraphimon already?" Luna asked.

"And where are Dianamon and Pheragas?" Statuedramon asked.

"…They…they're dead…"


	83. Gathering Information

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**Living Room**

"Dianamon and Pheragas…are both dead," Apollomon repeated.

"W—what…you…you mean…" BlackGaomon grabbed his head as it shook in disbelief, and he collapsed to his knees.

"They're both…dead?" Chrysania asked tearfully as Luna placed her arms around the young girl.

…_Something…isn't right…_

"No…no, that can't be!" Statuedramon exclaimed, dropping his sword and shield to the floor as he gazed up at the near-lachrymose Mega level.

_Something's…just not right…Why would Apollomon be _here_?_ Zelda looked up at me, teary-eyed and frightened before pressing her face up against my arm. _He…doesn't look very—_

"Who did it?!" Statuedramon asked. "Who killed our friends?!"

"Oh…it was…the Bio Hybrids," Apollomon said. "It was just the two of them. They…they allowed me go, so I did…"

I looked away from him. "…Pathetic. Our friends get killed, and you just come crawling back here without tearing the heads off of those bastards? They just _let_ you go?" I demanded.

"Thomas!" Statch gave me an angry glare.

"They…they _did_ let me go," Apollomon said. "There was nothing I could do to help them…"

"Even though you're a Mega level Digimon capable of easily overpowering those two? Did you just _stand there and watch_ while our friends were killed?!"

"Thomas, that's enough!" BlackGaomon said.

"I…I need to get some rest," Apollomon said. I watched him with narrowed eyes as he walked up the villa's stairs.

"…You didn't need to say any of that," BlackGaomon said after a moment. I sighed quietly and began to leave the room. "Hey, where are you going?! If you're going to antagonize the Boss any further, then I won't—"

"Let me?" I asked derisively. "Apollomon is back, BlackGaomon, so you are no longer in charge."

Once at the top of the stairs, I walked into Apollomon's empty bedroom and closed the door behind me. I was surprised by how late it had gotten; I could see through the window that Apollomon now looked out that the sun had set entirely, and the moon had just begun its slow ascent to the middle of the sky. "You aren't covered in wounds, Apollomon."

"…They…they let me go, Thomas," Apollomon said. "I…didn't have to fight—"

"So, you're just going to let me believe that they were killed while you stood there and did _nothing_?! Damn it, Apollomon, how much do our friendships mean to you?!"

"They…mean everything to me. You know that, don't you…Thomas?"

"I don't know who the hell you think you are, _Apollomon_, but…the real Apollomon has a large scar on his back that he received as a lance wound from a knight called Lector."

Apollomon's head turned around to look at me, grinning. "Oh…is that so? My, my, my…how frightfully _careless_ of me to forget! How _embarrassing_…I usually have quite the eye for detail; since it was a creature of the male gender, I paid not as much attention as I do to the ladies." Before my very eyes, a scar began to materialize on the Mega level's back. "Is that better?"

"…DeathPhantomon."

"Thou art…quite an intriguing individual, Thomas," DeathPhantomon said, changing his shape from that of Apollomon to his cloaked, scythe-wielding form. "Thou wast never fooled by a mere illusion…but how could thou see through it, I wonder?"

"Isn't it obvious by now? Apollomon would never—"

"Yes, I am quite aware of Apollomon's benevolent reputation," DeathPhantomon interrupted. "But when thou first laid thy eyes upon me…even then, thou had suspicions as to the true identity of what you saw! Thy words, thine actions! How couldst thou be aware of whom I really was at the time?!"

"That…was a test; truly, I thank you for falling for it," I said. "I know what you are capable of, DeathPhantomon…from the endless nightmares to the form changing. I knew you would use _that_ ability to your advantage somehow. If you really _were_ Apollomon, I'd have been punched in the face for talking to you like that."

"So…thou risked getting attacked in order to find out if what you saw was really me or not," DeathPhantomon laughed. "Thou holds fear in thy heart for me, do you not?"

"I know about your abilities…all your special tricks, and all of your weaknesses, but that doesn't mean I know of a way to counter them _all_," I replied. "So…Pheragas and Dianamon aren't really dead, I take it."

"How would I know? I've never come in contact with the brutes," DeathPhantomon said. "For all the knowledge I possess, they could very well live. As you know, I have somewhat of an aversion to Digimon who use fire attacks. I just combust so easily; made almost entirely of cloth, if thou weren't aware."

_He took the bait. Again. What a fool…Should I try getting more out of him…?_ "That's a badass-looking scythe you've got there."

DeathPhantomon held up his weapon, and I could hear him laugh slightly. "Yes, I suppose it does have its own unique charm, does it not? Oh, how I cannot _wait_ to make Lilithmon _scream_ and _shriek_ and _cry_ with this! What part of her should I jab its blade into _first_, do you think? I wouldn't wish her dead, so perchance an arm or a leg? Or perhaps I could rake it across her back…? Oh, but I'm also fond of navel torture, and Lilithmon has such a cute one, after all…Decisions, decisions, decisions…"

"…I would be very willing to bet that there isn't a Digimon around who could defeat you in combat as long as you have that scythe," I said. "And I'm not even a betting person!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, thou would be wrong!" DeathPhantomon snickered. "Fire attacks completely burn through me! Also, if this crystal sphere around my neck gets pierced, I'm done for. Thou claims to know everything about me, and yet failed to know this much?"

"…You're right. I didn't know that," I said. "But thanks so much for telling me everything I needed to know." DeathPhantomon turned to face me just as I drew out my sword and thrust it into the crystal sphere hanging from his neck. In an instant, he fell to the ground, dead and turning into small specks of data. "Cannot be defeated by conventional means…seems that that equates to fighting dirty." I laughed to myself as I sheathed my blade. "Well, I certainly don't mind adopting a wily fighting style if it means we'll all have an easier time defeating Lilithmon and her cohorts."

"Thomas, what just—" BlackGaomon barged into the room and fell silent upon noticing I was the only one in it. "Where is Apollomon?! Thomas, what have you done to him?!"

"Apollomon…was never here," I said. "_That_ was DeathPhantomon."

"What?! So then—"

"Dianamon and Pheragas are fine, BlackGaomon. DeathPhantomon never came into contact with them and Apollomon, and I seriously doubt the Bio Hybrids would, either, considering how powerful Apollomon is."

"…And you're _sure_ that was DeathPhantomon, and not Apollomon?" BlackGaomon began cracking his knuckles.

"Yes, I'm certain; he turned into his ghostly form and we spoke for a bit."

"…Well, all right. We'd better head downstairs and explain to Chrysania that they aren't really dead," BlackGaomon said. "She's been crying ever since you went upstairs."

* * *

**Lilithmon**

**Mandala City**

_DeathPhantomon is the only one left…besides Cherubimon and myself, of course._ I looked at the ten Horcruxes that lay on the ground before me. _I feel so…violated, having only _that one_ around…like he's thinking about me in a way that I'd rather not be thought about, and especially not by him…_ I shuddered as I thought of the hovering Digimon. _…I guess I wouldn't mind it if, say, Sephyrus, had thoughts like that. At least _he's_ a perfect gentleman, and rather easy on the eyes, too…_ I glanced at him from afar, and giggled. _Or maybe he already does? If he doesn't…ooh, I could _order_ him to!_

"Milady, is everything alright?" Sephyrus asked.

"What? Oh, yes, yes, of course!" I looked down and away from the man, blushing when I realized the way I had been thinking about him. "I, uh…I just want to be left alone for a while…"

"Of course, milady." Sephyrus bowed and proceeded to leave. I looked back down at the Horcruxes.

"As soon as DeathPhantomon gets back here…I'll free the rest of you," I whispered to the inanimate objects.

"Oh, I do believe you'll free us sooner than that." I looked around the ancient city, trying to discern where the voice came from.

"Look down, stupid!"

_Generalmon and…Lupinemon?_ "Where are you, my friends?!"

"I already said; look down!" I did as I was told, and saw that the glass of the Clairvoyant's Mirror, Hydramon's Horcrux, had lit up. In it, I could see the faces of my ten friends, rather than my own reflection.


	84. The Gate to the Dark Area

**Lilithmon**

**Mandala**

"My…friends?" I gasped. Looking back at me in the mirror were the ten heads of my friends.

"How adorable; the tart wished to be left alone," Hydramon said. "When on the contrary…"

"She is far from alone," Generalmon said.

"My friends…It's so good to see you," I said nervously. "But…how is it you are speaking with me?"

"Hast thou forgotten what _I'm_ capable of?" DeathPhantomon asked. "With the crystal sphere around my neck, I can observe the actions of anyone I so desire!"

"And with _my_ abilities, I am able to project our images through DeathPhantomon's pendant and onto the Mirror…_my_ Horcrux," Hydramon said.

"Oh…yes. What a…truly wonderful ability," I said nervously. "It…makes me proud to call you all my friends!"

"Your sentiment will subside in due time," SkullCaliphmon said. "Prepare to say bone-voyage to it!"

"Your punishment is nigh," Machinedramon said.

"All of you are _still_ going on about that?! I can _still_ free you!" I shouted for what felt to be the hundredth time.

"And how do you plan on doing that, now that all of our Horcruxes have been emptied of souls?!" Belphemon roared.

"Don't doubt me! I know of a way!" I said. "Do you think I have been wasting time here…_this_ time?! I know of a spell, utilizing all of the Horcruxes I have made, which will open the gate to the Dark Area until the last of you is freed!"

"I've a question for you, Lilithmon," Myotismon asked. "Can you be trusted? You live still; you could easily abandon the ten of us."

"What are you talking about?! Of _course_ she can't be trusted!" Lupinemon snarled viciously.

"But if we all desire our freedom, we've no option but to do as such, even if it pains us," Lucemon said. "Lucemon included."

"I care not if she can or can't be trusted!" DeathPhantomon laughed. "Either way, I'm going to get my scythe into her!"

"Now, about this spell, Lilithmon," Hydramon said. "What are the details of it?"

"It's very simple, really," I said.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**Living Room**

"DeathPhantomon has been killed," Statuedramon said.

"That leaves only Lilithmon," Luna said.

"No…no, this is very bad!" Statch said. "Thomas, don't you remember what Deckerdramon told us a few weeks ago?"

"…Yes. With DeathPhantomon out of the way…she'll be able to open the gate to the Dark Area," I said.

"…Sorry, what?!" BlackGaomon asked.

"We think that Lilithmon might know of a spell that requires the use of the Horcruxes once they are free of souls," Statuedramon said.

"Wait, when the Digimon were freed, the portion of their soul that was in the Horcrux left the object and joined the Digimon, didn't it?" Luna asked.

"Yes, but the _traces_ of their soul remains," I said. "All Deckerdramon told us…was that once she had all of the Horcruxes, and only after they had been freed of a soul…that was what she would do. It's the only reason why she would still keep the Horcrux once it became emptied of souls."

"And that might be what she's doing now," Statch added. "It…it might be too late…"

"No. No, it's never too late," I said. "This might be our last chance to stop her! If she succeeds…then we may never defeat her!"

"So…you're going back?" BlackGaomon asked.

"It's a lot more urgent than it was last time," Zelda said.

"As Thomas said, this might be our last chance to defeat Lilithmon," Statuedramon added.

"…All right. Go on, then," BlackGaomon said. "Go…go and kick her ass!"

"We'll do that!" Statch nodded. "The three of us…will win."

"Make that four," Luna said. "Because I'm going with you."

"If mommy's going, then Chrissy's going—"

"No!" Luna interrupted. "This is _way_ too dangerous for you, sweetie. Just…just stay here with BlackGaomon…Be a good girl, and mommy will be back soon…"

"…Okay…"

"Well, shall we go, then?" Statuedramon asked, leading the way to the front door.

* * *

**Michalis**

**Mandala**

"See…by laying out your Horcruxes this way, in the shape of a magical array…I am able to use my magic in junction with it, thereby opening the gateway to the Dark Area until the last of you has been freed," Lilithmon said.

"Lilithmon…are you _certain_ of this?!" I heard Myotismon ask. At Lilithmon's request, Michalis and I stood far away from her in case of the event that something should go wrong.

"This just seems a little…farfetched," Generalmon said.

"There's no chance of this little plan of yours backfiring, is there?" Belphemon asked.

"Guys, why do you think I've been here in Mandala ever since I freed SkullCaliphmon? Why do you think I sent Sephyrus out to free you instead of going myself?" Lilithmon asked. "I didn't want to waste any of my magical energy doing so! I _knew_ I would have to do this at some point, so I stayed here, dormant, building up my magical energy. Now, it is at its peak, and I am ready to free you!"

"Lilithmon, why could you not have just done this at the beginning?" Hydramon asked.

"I should hope that was obvious; I didn't even _have_ all of them at once up until now," Lilithmon said. "This spell requires the use of every Horcrux the user has made."

"This all just seems very…coincidental," Lupinemon said. "Almost a little…_ridiculous_…"

"Well, worry not; in a few moments' time, I'll have freed every last one of you!" Lilithmon raised her arms up above her head; the ten Horcruxes emitted a black light. The ground, even the air seemed to tremble and quake. "…Something…is wrong…Something else…is needed…Michalis…come here for a moment, sweetie. Mother needs your help."

"Sure thing." I walked up to the Mega Digimon. "What do you need, moth—" I was interrupted when Lilithmon jabbed her right claw into my neck. Blood came spurting from the wound and my mouth as Lilithmon raised me up into the air. "Moth…er…why?"

"You…were useless to me anyway," Lilithmon said, dropping me in the middle of the magical array. "But you will do quite well as a _sacrificial pawn._" As I lay, dying, Lilithmon's smiling face flashed before my eyes…as did the smiling face of Victoria.

* * *

**Sephyrus**

Even though I knew what was about to happen before she killed him, angst did not rise in my heart, nor did I avert my eyes. I did not feel a twinge of sympathy, or remorse, or the slightest amount of sadness as Michalis died, and I watched with indifference as his body was consumed by the black light. Instead, I smiled as the doorway to the Dark Area opened itself.

"Welcome, my friends!" Lilithmon exclaimed.


	85. The Twelfth Joins In

**Lilithmon**

**Mandala City**

"Welcome, my friends!" I exclaimed.

"Lilithmon, I'm impressed; you were actually _successful_ at something," Lupinemon said.

"Aww…does this mean she will not receive divine punishment?" DeathPhantomon asked sadly.

"Actually…I think we should rethink that," Belphemon said. "She was successful, surprising as it sounds. Perhaps…we ought to be the ones apologizing? For doubting her?"

"…I don't know if I would ever go _that_ far," Lupinemon growled. "She kept us waiting for _far_ too long. Let's just say we're even."

"I'm inclined to agree with Lupinemon," Myotismon said. "I may never forgive her for taking so damned long…but she did get us out in the end, and for that…she has my begrudging thanks."

"Oh, there's no need for thanks," I said. "Now that the eleven of us are alive — twelve, if you count Cherubimon, wherever he might be — we are all at our fullest power!"

"Well, I do know one thing," Hydramon said. "If it weren't for one person in this city, this momentous occasion would never have happened!"

"And I think we all know who that person is," Horusmon said.

"…Me?" I asked hopefully.

"No, Lilithmon; we speak of your crony, Sephyrus," Generalmon said. "It certainly seems as though he did more for us than you ever did."

"Oh…no…I have done little to aid in all of this," Sephyrus said, sounding slightly embarrassed. "It was all Lilithmon's work, I assure you."

"Well, whatever the case, we are free," Machinedramon said.

"Freedom…after precisely one million seconds of waiting…freedom has been achieved by Lucemon," Lucemon said. "This emotion known to others as 'elation' that Lucemon feels…it feels quite unnatural…Is this…normal?"

"Well, Lilithmon, I can't thank you enough for this," SkullCaliphmon said, placing his arm around my shoulders. "After this, I am quite certain our _boned_ will grow stronger! Get it?!" SkullCaliphmon began laughing. "IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE BONED RHYMES WITH BOND KIND OF!"

"SkullCaliphmon, shut up!" Lupinemon said. "_Nobody_ thinks your horrible bone puns are funny other than you!"

"…I kind of do," DeathPhantomon chuckled.

"SHUT UP!"

"Well, my friends…I believe it is time," I said. "Time…to go to the surface!"

"Final Elysion!" A large beam of light suddenly came out of nowhere and struck Belphemon in the chest, making him fall over and land on Hydramon.

"Well, then…it appears as if our _friends_ are here!" DeathPhantomon cackled.

Thomas stepped out of the blue light of one among many portals to Mandala. "…We're too late," he said. "They…they've all been released…" Next to him stood Zelda, Statuedramon, Gallantmon, and a woman I could only assume to be Bellaluna.

"Well, I've never been one to quit no matter how the odds look!" Statuedramon said, rushing towards us like an idiot.

"Permit me to deal with him," Horusmon said. "Ebon Flames of Purgatory!" Horusmon exhaled thick black and purple flames from his beak at the advancing Rookie, and in spite of the fact that he had his shield up, the flames consumed and overwhelmed him and knocked him down to his back, moderately singed.

"Why…so powerful…stronger than it was in Lotisea," Statuedramon said weakly.

"All of us are alive now," Generalmon said. "Our strength multiplies a thousandfold with each one of us that is alive."

"We are unstoppable now!" Machinedramon said. "Get out of our way, of suffer the consequences!"

"I think not; Royal Saber!" A blast of lightning was emitted by Gallantmon's lance and shot at us, but with a single snap of Myotismon's fingers, the attack changed direction and struck Gallantmon in the chest.

"Gallantmon!"

"I…forgive me…Zelda…I'll have to retreat for now…" Gallantmon disappeared, leaving nothing behind.

"Lernaean Inferno!" Hydramon spewed a spiraling flame from his mouth that trapped the three Humans and Statuedramon in a ring of flames.

"Now to end this!" Belphemon swung his powerful arms and flailed the chains wrapped around them. One of the chains struck a nearby marble pillar, causing it to break apart and collapse down on those trapped in the flames.

"Ooh…did that kill them?" DeathPhantomon asked.

"…It is doubtful," Generalmon said. "Their witch was with them, and her magic is nothing to be scoffed at. It is possible that she is—"

"Who cares about that?! Let's just get out of here while they're powerless to stop us!" Lupinemon growled.

"Oh, I've waited so _long_ for this!" Hydramon exclaimed. Above us, a hole opened in the barrier protecting this city and through the ocean. Hydramon's eyes began to glow blue, and all of us, Sephyrus included, rose up into the air and through the break in the barrier. The water swirled out of our way, making a pathway to the surface. In no time at all, we had broken through to the surface of the ocean.

"At last…we are free!" I exclaimed. Hydramon landed us in a more shallow part of the ocean, where the water barely reached my knees.

"Strike…of the Seven Stars!" From the sky, seven orbs of light came down and stuck me, and only me. I fell facedown into the ocean.

"Lilithmon! Thou aren't dead, art thee?" DeathPhantomon asked. I raised my head just as the form of a familiar Digimon floated down from the sky, landing before me.

"…Seraphimon?"

"Lilithmon…Apollomon told me you were up to something again," Seraphimon said. "And so we came…to put an end to whatever it is you and your friends have in mind!"

"_You_ two, stop _me_?!" I stood up.

"Well, at the very least, he won't be alone," Apollomon said, walking up to Seraphimon with Dianamon and the Human known as Pheragas.

"This time…you are outnumbered, and I have no intention of stabbing myself _this_ time!" I said.

"Stabbing _yourself_?!" Lupinemon asked.

"Lily, dear…did you not tell us it was Seraphimon who killed you the first time?" Machinedramon asked.

"Uh…Well, you see…"

"Oh, who cares what happened hundreds of years ago?!" Horusmon asked.

"There's nothing they can do to stop us, so let us put an end to them once and for all!" Belphemon roared. The three Digimon approached us, the sky darkening with clouds as they did.

"Fine, then; fight us if you dare!" I said. "I'll send you to join your friends very soon!"

"Strike of the Seven Stars!"

"Solblaster!"

"Ice Archery!" The three Digimon prepared their attacks, but before they could do anything, all of them, Pheragas included, were all struck down by lightning. _Red_ lightning. The sky had darkened with thick clouds.

"Wait a minute…I recognize that lightning," SkullCaliphmon said. "Isn't that…" Our four opponents stood up, fazed and weakened.

"Terminal Judgment!" More and more bolts of red lightning fell from the sky and struck our adversaries, knocking them unconscious.

"It _is _him…Cherubimon is here!" Hydramon hissed with delight as an enormous Digimon descended from the clouds and landed before us.

"Lilithmon…I apologize for my absence for all these years," Cherubimon said.

"So, you were alive all this time?" Generalmon asked.

"Why didn't you show yourself until now?" Horusmon asked.

"Yes, you could have saved poor Sephyrus here a lot of time by showing yourself and helping him retrieve the Horcruxes I made," I said.

"I…I had not been made aware of Lilithmon's revival until recently," Cherubimon bowed before me. "I offer no excuse for my tardiness. If you wish to strike me down in retribution, then—"

"No need for that," I quickly said. "Now that you are here, Cherubimon, the twelve of us can pick up where we left off."

"…Whatever it is that you wish…I shall do it…Ophanimon."

_Ugh! How many times have I told people not to call me by that _disgusting_ name?! Although…when _Cherubimon_ does it, I suppose it is kind of adorable…But, of course, I would _never_ say that out loud…_

"We've been trapped in that stuffy old Dark Area for such a long time…I'm not really sure what I'd like to do first," Hydramon said.

"Before we all go, would anybody like for me to make Horcruxes—"

"Oh, don't feed us that shit again, Lilithmon!" Myotismon snapped.

"You did that for us last time, but it took you over five hundred years to free us!" Belphemon roared.

"Indeed; how long will it take for you to free us _next_ time? One thousand years? A millennium? _Never_?!" Myotismon asked. "Provided that we are, in fact, gracious enough to give you a second chance, that is."

"There are a few things I'd like taken care of immediately," SkullCaliphmon said. "I don't have time for Lilithmon to snatch away a part of my soul and stick it in a pencil or something."

"There is a certain city in Shendu Territory…I _shall_ wipe it off the map," Generalmon said. "That city…they will all pay for what they did to me!"

"So…nobody wants another chance at life in case something happens?" I asked.

"And what _could_ happen, Lily dear?" Machinedramon asked. "Seraphimon and Apollomon are dealt with. You told us SlashAngemon was killed. Most of the Celestial Vanguard has vanished to who knows where. Those others are trapped at the bottom of a very large marble column. There is nobody left to stand up to us."

"The Order of the Enchantress," Lucemon sighed. "Lucemon believes that there is a one hundred percent chance at our continued survival."

"This is probably for the best, milady," Sephyrus said to me as the others, save for Cherubimon, left the shoreline. "It would be bad for morale if you were to do so; they all believe themselves to be capable of survival. And I believe so as well, of course."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," I said. "But…what if something happens? What if they—"

"Nothing will happen to them," Cherubimon said. "They believe too firmly for otherwise."

"…Cherubimon…where will you go?" I asked.

"If…if Ophanimon has nothing for me to do…then I would like to stay at her side," Cherubimon said. "Alongside Sir Sephyrus, I will serve you however you wish."

"It is an honor, sir," Sephyrus said.

"…Very well. You both may stay at my side. In Mandala," I said.

* * *

**Apollomon**

**10 Minutes**

"Apollomon! Sir! Ah you unhohmed, sir?!" I was being violently shaken awake. Pheragas's large hands were placed in a very uncomfortable position around my shoulders as he repeated my name over and over until I finally opened my eyes.

"Pheragas…the others—"

"Dianamon and Seraphimon ah both unhohmed," Pheragas said. "Dey ah on dare way back to de villa. Seraphimon said dat he believed in you, and dat you vould be okay."

I smirked. "Yes…that sounds like something he would say…He hasn't changed a bit in the last five hundred years…"

"Lilithmon and her allies left as vell, but I do not know vare dey vent. I apologize, sir; I could not stop dem…"

"There's…nothing to apologize for, Pheragas. There was nothing you could have done to stop them…"

"Vell, ve should get going, den," Pheragas said, helping me stand up.

"No…we can't go yet," I said. "I overheard them talking while I was…unconscious…Thomas and the others might be there…They're trapped…they need our help!" I took off, leaving Pheragas behind as I ran through the increasingly deeper waters. _Even if I have to hold my breath and swim all the way to the bottom of the ocean, I _will_ save you!_ I came to a stop in front of a giant whirlpool. I peered down into it and saw the ruins of Mandala. Without a second thought, I dove in, landing next to a huge pile of rubble covered in the dying remnants of a fire. Pheragas landed behind me shortly afterward.

"Vare ah day?" Pheragas asked.

I looked to the pile of rubble to my left. _Oh, Goddess Arcadia…don't let them be buried underneath all of that!_ My heart was pounding, and before I knew it, I had run over to the pile and begun frantically digging through it.

"Apollomon, calm down!" Pheragas grabbed my shoulder and pulled me away from the rubble. "If day ah unduhneath all of dat…den…day won't be alive…"

"…No!" I freed myself from Pheragas's grip, and continued to excavate the rubble. The tears that had blurred my vision nearly made me miss the bright green-blue glow surrounding the rubble and even the flames. Pheragas pulled me back once again, and just in time, as the rubble began moving on its own. It moved slowly at first, but a half second later, it was all blown away in a flash. Thomas, Zelda, and Statuedramon lay on the floor, covered in dirt and sweat. Luna stood with her arms raised, and her hands were covered in the same green-blue light. Exhausted, the witch fell to the ground, breathing heavily.

"Boss…you're here," Luna smiled.

"What the hell happened here?!" I asked. "Thomas…Zelda…Statch…are they—"

"They…will be fine…"

"Yeah…you expected anything less of us?" Statch asked.

"Luna…saved our lives," Thomas said. "Some of the rubble…_did_ land on us…but she stepped in…before anything _too_ big hit us…"

"We were all trapped in that small space…that fire robbed us of our oxygen…and we were nearly crushed to death," Luna added. "We're all…lucky…to still be alive…"

"Where you…able to find Seraphimon?" Zelda asked.

"Yeah…Dianamon and I attacked Lilithmon's group with him, but…we weren't strong enough, and they escaped…Cherubimon showed up as well, which was why they were able to escape."

"Well, things sure do seem to be getting better and better, don't they?" Statuedramon asked sarcastically.

"It's not as bad as it could be, I suppose. The sky hasn't fallen, after all," Apollomon said. "You all okay?"

"My swords arm's completely busted," Thomas said. "I can't move it at all…I can walk, though."

"It'll probably be a while before I can walk again, so I don't know how useful I'll be," Statuedramon said.

"I can move my legs a little bit, but it really hurts to move them, and I can't move my left arm at all," Zelda said.

"I'm completely exhausted from holding all that crap up," Luna said, her breast rising and falling with the rhythm of her breathing. All four of us were covered in dust, grime, blood, and sweat. "I can…fix everyone up…when we get back…"

"I guess I have no choice, den," Pheragas said. "De two of us vill just 'ave to carry you tree back home. Thomas, you can valk, cahn't you?"

"Yeah…hold on for a moment, though." Thomas stood up and walked over to where the gateway to the Dark Area must have opened up just moments before; there, to my surprise, Michalis's blood-soaked corpse lay at the center of a ring of Horcruxes. "_…So…_thisis where you met your end…You were Victoria's son, my mother's son…and you were essentially my brother…and you killed her. You murdered her_._" There was a large, gaping hole in the middle of Michalis's neck which still oozed blood. "I…I only wish I had the chance to kill you myself…but it seems as though your death was a slow and painful one. I am satisfied." Thomas walked past his corpse, 'accidentally' stepping on his face as he walked over to the center of the Horcruxes.

"Thomas…what are you doing?" I asked. I held Zelda and Statuedramon in my arms while Pheragas carried Luna.

"Is dat de Necklace?" Pheragas asked. Thomas looked down at the pendant that was now in his hand. The Necklace, like the other Horcruxes, appeared to be somewhat singed, as if they had been thrown in a fire. "Is it safe to pick up?" Thomas nodded.

"This Necklace…it may have once trapped the soul of an evil Digimon within…but it was a gift to me from Zelda, and regardless of its history as a Horcrux, it's still very important to me."

"Thomas…" Zelda said tenderly.

"…Are you ready to depart, then?" I asked.

"Hold on…this was Saias's, wasn't it?" I picked up the sword; its hilt was burnt to a small degree as with the other Horcruxes, but its metal blade shone beautifully. "This should at least be placed at his grave."


	86. The Hydra's Advance

**Seraphimon**

**Saias's Villa**

**20 Minutes**

"…So…a lot has happened since we've been gone, I see," Apollomon said. "IceDevimon…DeathPhantomon…Lilithmon's allies being freed from the Dark Area…"

"Deckerdramon said…he said if that were to ever happen, then Arcadia would never know light again," Statuedramon said. "And it…it happened…"

"Well, we're all going to make _damn_ sure Arcadia _does_ see light again!" BlackGaomon said. "Even if I have to give my life in—"

"NO!" I interrupted. I marched over to the Rookie Digimon, leaned down, and sternly said, "Let me make one thing _very clear_ to everybody; under no circumstances are you to put yourselves in a situation that would cost you your life. Am I understood?!"

"…Yes, sir," BlackGaomon said, slowly scooting back on the floor away from me.

"…We are the only ones who can stop Lilithmon," I whispered. "If even _one_ person in this room where to fall in battle…"

"What should we do first, sir?" Dianamon looked at Apollomon.

"I don't know," Apollomon sighed. "…Luna…are you done yet?"

"Almost, sir," the witch said. "This healing spell usually only takes a few minutes to work, so the four of us should be ready to go any second now."

"And how are you feeling?" Apollomon looked at Statuedramon, Zelda, and Thomas, sitting next to each other on a couch.

"Well, my arm doesn't feel broken anymore, and—" Thomas began.

"No, not that," Apollomon interrupted. "How do you feel about…what happened, Thomas? Anxious? Confident? Despaired?"

"…To be…quite honest, sir, I…don't really know," he admitted. "Anything could happen…We could win, or _they_ could…And if they do…I don't want to think about that possibility."

"I…feel the same," Statuedramon said. "For the first time in my life…I'm actually _afraid_. I'm not scared that I might get killed, but that I might get killed without having done everything I could have done to protect my family…"

"I tink ve can all say dat ve ah afraid," Pheragas said. "Dare is noting dat can be done about dat, given de circumstances."

"…If anybody wants out, just say so," Apollomon said. "This will be different than fighting off bandits, or even the Bio Hybrids. If you wish to leave simply to save yourself, then…you may go."

"Apollomon, how could you say that?!" Statch exclaimed. "I'm afraid…but I'm still willing to fight, too!"

"I'm ready to stand against my fears and worries and fight Lilithmon and her allies," Zelda said. "I have faith in my comrades…they've never let anyone down before, and I know they won't now. I'll give my all to make sure they don't get hurt."

"…Just give us our orders, sir," Thomas said.

"…Very well. The first thing we ought to do should be to—" The entire villa trembled violently. All the furniture seemed to be lifted off the floor as it shook. Then, quite suddenly, the shaking stopped. It ended so abruptly that everyone in the room was still frozen in place from the initial surprise.

"Is everyone okay?!" I asked.

"What was that? And earthquake?!" Statuedramon asked as another tremor shook the villa.

"No…they're here!" I yelled, running outside. "They've found us!"

"Damn it! So soon?!" Apollomon asked. He and Dianamon dashed after me as I ran outside. The rest of Apollomon's guild followed us out onto the lawn, where Hydramon stood. The center head of the colossal Mega licked its lips.

"So good to see you all again," Hydramon said. "Which one of you…shall we devour first?"

"Everyone…get away from here," Apollomon commanded. "Right now!"

"Are you kidding me? I've killed this stupid snake all on my own before, and I can do it again!" Statuedramon said.

"Oh, then, by all means, go ahead and try," Hydramon's three heads smirked, opening their mouths. "Lernaean Inferno!" Statuedramon held up his shield, preparing to defend against the oncoming attack.

"Statuedramon, get back!" Apollomon yelled. "_That's an order_!"

"Don't worry, boss; I've got—" Hydramon's thick, orange flames completely overwhelmed the Rookie, for they had been far too violent for him to block. His small body was hidden from sight, covered by the flames. Thomas called out his friend's name, and had I not grabbed his arm, he'd have surely run into the flames.

"Statuedramon…Statch, no…"

"There is nothing that can be done for him," I said as Thomas fell to his knees. There was a clearing in the flames, and the form of two figures standing could be seen. Apollomon, with his arm raised, stood in front of Statuedramon, who looked up in awe at the Mega Digimon.

"Statuedramon…I _told_ you…to_ stay back_!" Apollomon yelled.

"Y—Yes sir…" Statuedramon said. Hydramon's flames began to swirl around and around until they all gathered in a bright, shining orb in Apollomon's hands.

"Solblaster!" Apollomon launched the flames at Hydramon, who simply laughed as he was struck by his own flames.

"My scales are harder than diamond, and proportionally as thick as the planet's mantle! You think you could hurt me with my own flames?!" Hydramon asked. "You'll have to try harder than _that_!"

"I don't understand…I was able to do it last time," Statuedramon said.

"Yes…but that was when about half of them remained," I said. "Now that all twelve of them are here…their power has increased exponentially."

"Everyone, get out of here!" Apollomon said. "This fight…this is not something that any of you can handle!"

"But, sir—"

"No buts, BlackGaomon! Just do it!"

"You too, Apollomon," I said. "You are still injured."

"Seraphimon…"

"Besides, you are their leader. Your presence will ease their minds," I said. "And with peace of mind comes enhanced fighting abilities. If we are all to stay alive, then stay with them."

"…All right." Apollomon turned his back to me, following after his allies without turning to look back. "You'd better not get yourself killed, Seraphimon!" he called to me as he disappeared into the forest, following after the others.

"No worries there," I whispered. "As long as my opponent is not Lilithmon…I will succeed."

"You sure about that?" Hydramon asked. "Remember; my scales are—"

"Strike of the Seven Stars!" Seven glowing orbs struck Hydramon's middle head, exploding on impact.

"…Hard as diamonds," Hydramon smirked. "And after all those attacks, they retain their beautiful luster!" The center head lowered itself and looked me in the face. "Face it, Seraphimon…you've lost before you've even begun. You and your pathetic friends…you all don't stand a chance against us!"

"Overconfidence will get you killed faster than a lack of confidence any day," I said.

"Herculean Slicer!" Hydramon thrust the blade on his tail down, and I quickly grabbed it moments before it struck my neck. "Lernaean Inferno!" The attack happened so fast; I didn't have enough time to react and protect myself as I was consumed by the orange flames. It was over as soon as it had begun. My armor was badly singed, and several of the golden feathers on my ten wings had fallen off and simply evaporated. I was breathing heavily, and yet I stood with a tight grip on Hydramon's tail. As I began to generate a sword on my right arm, Hydramon flicked his tail, making me fall over onto my back, only to have the monstrous Digimon slam one of his legs on my body and pin me to the ground. His center head lowered itself even more and whispered, "I'm not going to kill you."

"You…you're not?!"

"Of course not…" Hydramon's leg lifted up, allowing me to stand. "Killing only _one_ of you would be absolutely no fun whatsoever. Run along now, little angel; find your friends." I stood still, looking up at the tall Mega level. "Well? Don't you wish to find your friends?"

"…And when I do find them, you'll be there to kill them," I said.

"The thought never crossed my mind. Go on…go find them. I'll be waiting."

"Hydramon…how stupid do you think I am?" I asked. "You're planning on following me…so that when I _do_ find them…that's when you'll strike."

"And for all I know — which is quite a lot — they could have all separated," Hydramon said. "I told you…killing only one of you at a time would be no fun at all. I want the pleasure of being able to kill the lot of you with a single attack!"

"Why should _you _get that honor?" another of Hydramon's heads spoke up. "Just because _you're_ the one in the middle doesn't mean you get to do all the fun stuff!"

"Ach, stop you complainin'," Hydramon's third head said. "Thas' all _any_ of us ever 'ere from you anymore; jus' _constant_ bitchin' and bitchin'…"

"Oi, shut up—"

"And then, jus' when we think you done, you jus' keep on bitchin' an' ramblin' like you ain't got anythin' else to do!"

"Both of you; shut your fucking mouths!" Hydramon's center head shouted at the two smaller heads. "I am _trying_ to talk to our enemy!"

_And while you're busy talking to _yourself_, that enemy of yours is making his silent getaway. What an idiot…_

"Look, Phil, I've said this to you thousands of times; all of us have a mind of our own now, so you don't get to boss us around anymore!" the second head said. I hid myself behind a tree, waiting for the three heads' little feud to end.

"YES I DO!" I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from laughing.

"Ach, lookit what you two did now!" Hydramon's third head moaned.

"What now, Frank?!" the center head asked.

"While you two were bitchin' each other out, tha' angel ran away from us!"

"Wha—Where'd he go?!"

"Aww…I wanted to roast 'im alive…"

_Some clairvoyants these guys are…_

"Oh, terrific; now we'll _never_ know where those bastards went! How could you lose sight of him?!"

_I fucking knew it…_

"Jennifer, calm down; we weren't going to follow him anyway," the center head, apparently called Phil, said.

"Oh…what _are_ we goin' to do, then?" the head known as Frank asked.

"You know…I hadn't really thought about that…Shall we just go back to the lake until we figure out what we want to do?"

"That sounds unbearably dull…but I can't think of a better idea," the head known as Jennifer said.

"This doesn't come as a surprise to me. When have you _ever_ had a good idea?"

"SHUT UP!" the ground began to shake again; I peeked out from behind the tree I hid behind to see where he was going.

_Lotisea Jungle…He's going to the lake where he was sealed away the first time? Lake Viscaria…_ Hydramon was soon out of sight. "More importantly…where have the others gone?" I said to myself. "Apollomon…I need to find him…But where would he go…? And are the others with him? Or would Apollomon really have been foolish enough to separate the group at a time like this?" I looked up at the sky and thought for a moment. "…He probably would have…Damn it, I have to find them!"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

The sun was beginning to set for the second time since we were attacked by Hydramon. In the beginning, all the members of Lachesis were in a group, but at Apollomon's request, we had split ourselves into smaller groups. Zelda, Statuedramon, and I had just walked into a small, unfamiliar village.

"Thomas…how long do we have to…keep walking?" Statuedramon asked as he sat down on a dirt road. "We've been at it for…over a day…can we at least stop here for the night?"

"…Apollomon told us to get as far away as possible from the villa for a while," I said to myself.

"Was it a good idea for us to separate?" Zelda asked. She had remained close to me as often as possible, and she had kept her hand in mine. "What if we get attacked?"

"It was what Apollomon commanded. As long as he is able to prove himself of being a capable leader…then I will do what he says without hesitation."

"Where are we, anyway?" Statuedramon asked.

"We're in a village known as Primrose," Zelda said. "It is a desert village that rests on the borders of Valencia Territory and Cyprus Desert. It's a small place, smaller than most other villages throughout the continent. Beyond that grassy slope at the end of this rode is a cliff overlooking the desert province."

Statch looked up at Zelda. "You've been here before, haven't you? Before you met us, you said you traveled around, right?" he asked.

"…No. This is actually my first time here," Zelda said. "Before I came here, my…reputation preceded me. Because I'm one of the Marked…I wasn't allowed to stay here…" Zelda sighed quietly, and I placed a hand over her shoulder. "All those things I said about this village…I either knew before we came here, or I could tell just by looking."

"Wow…you sure are smart, Zelda," Statch said.

"Oh, n—no, I…I—"

"Now _that's_ a really pretty shade of scarlet your face is turning!"

"Statuedramon_…_" Statch laughed in a friendly manner as Zelda embarrassedly hid her face behind her hands. I began to smile as well, until a mysterious noise caught my attention.

_That sound…it's a flute…_ I looked around, trying to determine where the flute music came from. _…One of the Horcruxes was a Flute…Does that…mean anything? Or am I just hearing things again…?_

"…Thomas? Hey, Thomas, did you hear me?!"

"Oh, Statuedramon…sorry. I just…heard a flute…It just made me think of the Horcruxes…"

"I didn't hear a flute," Statch said. "Did you, Zelda?"

"…No…I hear it, too," Zelda said.

"You _can_?! Well, why the hell can't _I_ hear it?!"

"This flute's melody…it can only be heard by those destined for greatness." A young blonde woman dressed all in white and carrying a flute walked up to us.

"Greatness…then…does that mean…I'm not…" The woman looked down at Statuedramon; her eyes were gold and piercing.

_Just like Luna's…_

"…Just because one is incapable of hearing it means nothing. Some are born destined to accomplish much in life…others take control of their destinies, and forcibly engrave their names in history for all eternity."

"Ooh…That sounds like fun!" Statch said.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"…My name…it is Linoan…"


	87. Linoan

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Primrose Village**

"…My name…it is Linoan…"

…_She's avoiding eye contact…And there's something else about her that seems a bit…off…It seemed like she had to think about her answer for a moment…_

"I know…about the three of you," Linoan said, smiling shyly at us. "Thomas…Zelda…Statuedramon…The three of you…you are the ones, aren't you? The ones who defeated Etemon in Linnea…you are the ones, right?"

"Who's Etemon?" Statuedramon asked.

"A bandit leader…One of the bandit leaders of the Thanatos Bandits," I said. "We killed him about a month ago, remember?"

"No, not really."

Linoan laughed quietly. "Yes…with all that has been going on lately…even the bandits have been too afraid to do anything," she said. "I suppose…that is one good thing about Lilithmon being back…"

"…There are people who already know about that?" Statch asked.

The young blonde nodded. "Though it has been little more than a day since they were freed, Lilithmon's allies have been making life unbearable for everyone across the continent," she said. "In fact…there is a Digimon in this very area who has been doing just that…"

"What?! One of those bastards is _here_?!" Statch yelled. I continued looking into Linoan's eyes. She herself did not seem worried, or nervous, or anything similar.

"…I…cannot say for sure if the Digimon is a friend of hers…More likely than not, the Digimon is little more than a bandit who is unaware of her return."

"Well…if it is a bandit, then it is our job to deal with it," I said.

Zelda nodded in agreement. "Do you know where this Digimon is, Linoan?" she asked. Linoan opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by Statch.

"Wait, you two actually want to do this?!" Statuedramon asked.

"It is our job," I said.

"We don't have _time_ to drive away a Digimon who has no connection to Lilithmon! We need to be focusing our efforts on defeating her and the other eleven Digimon from that group! And besides…" Statuedramon nervously looked over at Linoan and whispered in my ear, "You don't…actually trust her, do you?"

"Statuedramon…that's beside the point. Whether I trust Linoan or not doesn't matter. That rarely _has_ ever mattered. This is our job, in case you've forgotten," I said. "You don't _have_ to come with us."

"And _you two_ don't have to go with her! What if she's leading you into a trap?! Have you thought about _that_?!" Statch asked. "This is valuable time you'll be wasting that we should be using trying to put an end to Lilithmon's schemes!"

"So, you're just going to shut us down like that, without even considering how bad it might be for us? Come now, no need to be so _cruel_!" I glanced over at Linoan and saw a large, burly man walking up behind her. He wore a long black trench coat that covered his entire body. The coat had its hood up to conceal the man's face. The only part of him that could be seen was his hands, which were an odd, pale blue color. "Now _that,_ I consider absolutely heartbreaking!" The man clasped his hand around Linoan's shoulder; a very sudden but very quick grimace that crossed her face caught my notice as he did so. "This young lady here…and the other residents of this humble little village — myself included — are in fear for their lives. Is it not too much to ask of thee?"

Statuedramon looked up at me. "Thomas…I don't like this, but if it's what you want…I'll go with you," he said.

"I am fully aware that it could be a trap," I whispered to him. "But if it's not…and we ignore it…then the blood spilt by whatever is here will be on our hands."

"I'd rather we regret something we've done than regret not doing anything in the first place," Zelda said. "Even if it _is_ a trap, we'll be fine."

"…All right." Statuedramon looked up at Linoan. "Take us to where this Digimon is…if there really _is_ one."

"Of course," Linoan smiled. The man chuckled to himself and walked away. "He can be found…this way." Statch and Zelda began to follow Linoan down the dirt road, and I was about to do the same when I noticed Linoan's footprints.

_Zelda and Statuedramon aren't leaving any footprints behind…and neither am I…or that other man…and yet, here are Linoan's, as clear as day…_Upon closer examination, I noticed that the footprints were also rather deep. …_She weighs more than her small build implies…meaning…she's not a Human…Well, whatever she is, I'm glad I'm getting involved with whatever the hell's going on here._ I ran, catching up to my friends as they reached the end of the dirt road with Linoan. A lone rock sat atop a clear, grassy cliff which, as Zelda said earlier, overlookedthe Cyprus Desert.

"This…is where the Digimon can usually be found," Linoan said as she climbed on top of the rock.

"Where is—" I was interrupted by Linoan, who, ignoring me, began to play her flute once more.

"Well, _that_ sure was rude," Statuedramon said. "…Even if it _is_ kind of a beautiful song…" Linoan continued to play her song, and after a few minutes, I felt the ground begin to tremble.

"…We've got to get out of here!" I said.

"Shut up, I'm trying to listen to—" The ground underneath Statuedramon opened up as he spoke, and all three of us fell through into what seemed to be an endless pitfall. Linoan's smirk was the last thing I remember seeing before the three of us were swallowed up by the darkness.

* * *

**Linoan**

**2 Hours**

The sun had set a while ago, and now the moon began its rise. The sky was filled with stars, and the moon was full. I did not need to look up to know this; no matter how small, I was able to feel the light from each of the stars in the sky…and with each full moon, I felt a huge surge in power and energy…this did not sit well with me. I've always felt like I should get stronger on my own, without the use of some unique ability. My sadness, my resentment…even my boredom…every emotion I felt at the moment was reflected in my flute's music…a lamentful elegy…

"Ah, this ghastly, beautiful sound, nearly identical to that of a wolf's howl...it must be none other than the flute of thee...my beauteous Linoan!" I quit playing, but did not turn around to look at my guest. It was the man that had joined me earlier. I did not know who he was, but he gave off the same air of unease as someone else I knew. "To see someone as beautiful as thyself, all alone in a place like this, bathed in the moon's light...why, it's enough to make someone like me cry at the sheer beauty of it all!"

"…What do you want?" I asked, starting to feel annoyed by his presence, the way he spoke; just everything about him made me want to tear out his eyes.

"…You know…you really know how to transform into the most beautiful of Human women," the man said.

"Oh, stop it!" I snapped, rising to my bare feet from the rock I sat on. "It makes me sick enough that I'm able to turn into one of these repulsive creatures without YOU of all people reminding me of it!"

"Without…_me_ of all people? Why, whatever could you mean by that? We've just met, haven't we? What could I have _possibly_ done to you, dear Linoan?"

"I just…cannot abide _Humans_…It makes me sick to my _stomach_ that I look like _this_ right now!"

"Well...I'm afraid I've nothing to cure the pains of thy belly, my dear," the man said, walking up to me. Leaning down slightly, he whispered into my ear, "But…I have every means necessary to cure the pains of thy heart. Would you like for me to...help thee with that?" I felt my skin crawl as he began caressing my thigh with his right hand whilst gently stroking my belly button with his left index finger. His light blue skin felt clammy and sweaty, and his unnecessarily sharp fingernail was finding its way deeper into my navel. My stomach lurched in agony and a chill ran down my spine as he continued to stand close to me. I could practically hear his grin widening as he moved his mouth closer to my ear. "Well? Would that be something you would enjoy?" As his hand inched higher and higher up my thigh, I suddenly elbowed him in the ribs, causing him to fall over. In an instant, in place of my human form there now stood a beautiful, golden wolf. Where I stood now was my original form of Lupinemon.

"How could I not have realized when you showed up to help me? Curse the dulled senses of those damned Humans!" I growled. "I should've realized it was you earlier...DeathPhantomon!" The man began to laugh, and suddenly disappeared, and where he stood was now a gruesome, robed creature hovering in the air.

"Nya ha ha! You've got that right, _Linoan_! At least the, 'should've realized it was you earlier' part!" DeathPhantomon laughed eerily.

"DeathPhantomon. What…do…you…WANT?! Why the fuck are you even here?!"

"Verily hath I come to offer my assistance, milady!"

"In what regard?" I asked dully. DeathPhantomon's only visible eye narrowed in anger. _Well, now…_that's_ sure an uncommon sight._

"The Digimon known as Statuedramon…he initially voiced his protests about following thee, did he not?" I stared at the hovering Digimon. "I know thou better than you know thyself, Lupinemon. Thou art impatient…If Statuedramon had continued his protests, then surely thou would have left him behind…leaving those two Humans to fall into the trap."

"Yeah? And so what if I would have?" I growled.

"Lilithmon…_All_ of us…need them _all_ to be dealt with. Not some of them; _all_ of them."

"Yeah, whatever…" A scythe materialized in DeathPhantomon's hand, and he swung it at me, narrowly missing the top of my head. "What the hell, DeathPhantomon?!"

"Listen up, Lupinemon. I, like the rest of our group, desire freedom, and I wish to keep said freedom. I might be more lenient than Myotismon or Machinedramon, so I shall give thee a fair warning. _If I _ever_ hear about or observe you doing something like that ever again…next time, I will _not_ miss. Do I make myself clear…Lupinemon?_"

"…Crystal."

"Very good. I'm glad we had this little chat, beautiful." DeathPhantomon's skull-tipped scythe disappeared. "So…where did those three go?"

"That hole you see beneath you sent them falling to a path that will lead them to another of our group," I said. I looked out at the vast desert. "SkullCaliphmon…that's one favor I've done for _you_. How shall you reciprocate, I wonder?"

"Well, without further ado, I shall take my leave of thee, _Linoan_. We shall…meet again." In the blink of an eye, DeathPhantomon vanished.

"…Fair warning. Ha." I looked up at the moon. I sighed. "Some allies I've got…giving me warning that next time they'll try to clobber me…"


	88. Into the Realm of Darkness

**Thomas Kasuto**

I suddenly came to when a sharp, throbbing pain in my head woke me up. I looked around, and saw almost nothing. A torch with a very small, near-extinguished flame nearby kept a small area around the three of us illuminated. We appeared to be in a long hallway of sorts, the architecture of which reminded me of Etemon's Castle in Linnea, as everything appeared to be composed entirely of stone. However, nearly everything that could be seen was dusty and covered with sand, even the air. _That trap Linoan set up for us…it must've taken us all the way into the desert…But what is this place? Some kind of underground building or castle?_

"Thomas…"

"Zelda, are you okay?" I whispered. I didn't know why I was whispering; it just seemed to be the thing to do in this dusty, underground hallway.

"I'm…fine…But can you help me stand up?" Zelda took my hand, and I gently hoisted her up. "Thank you…So, where are we?"

"I was just wondering that myself…"

"Isn't it obvious? That bitch Linoan sent us down here!" Statuedramon said. "I _knew_ it was a trap, I _knew_—"

"Is there…any chance that Linoan didn't have anything to do with this?" Zelda asked.

"No, it was definitely her," I said. "When we were falling, I saw her smiling."

"…I see…"

"Damn it, I was expecting a trap, but nothing like _this_…" I shook my head in disbelief and looked up. Nothing but darkness, except for where the torch shone.

"If you knew she was leading us to a trap, why did you follow her?!" Statch asked.

"I thought she might've been leading us to one of Lilithmon's allies."

"_That's_ why you went?! Isn't that a reason why we ought to avoid following strange, creepy, yet incredibly beautiful young women we don't know?!"

"Well, we're going to have to fight them sometime, right? It's not like we can just let them live, and do whatever they want, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, but—!"

"Statuedramon, we can argue about this later all you want; right now, we need to work on getting out of here."

"Fine, fine…" The three of us walked in silence through the dark corridor, occasionally passing by a lit torch until we reached the end of the hall. Statuedramon was about to press on when I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. "Hey, what's wrong? Why'd you do that?!"

"…You shouldn't be too hasty in a place like this," I whispered. I picked a rock up off the stone floor and dropped it in front of Statuedramon; the rock landed on something, and without warning, the floor opened up. "See that, Statch? A tripwire…If I hadn't stopped you, you'd have fallen into that pit and landed on all those spikes down there." The trapdoor closed by itself.

"Is it safe to pass?" Zelda asked.

"As long as we don't touch the tripwire, we should be fine," I said. "Here, give me your hand." Reluctantly, Zelda held out her hand, and when I took it in mine, it was trembling noticeably. "We'll be okay…We'll get out of this, like you said," I told her.

Zelda nodded, and slowly, the two of us walked over the tripwire. "There, we made it!" I said, and Zelda nodded again as Statuedramon followed us over the tripwire. "Are you okay?" I asked her. In the light of a nearby torch, I could see that her face had gone completely pale, and she was breathing heavily, but quietly.

"I…I'm fine, Thomas…I just…" Zelda looked around nervously before looking back up at me.

"It's okay," I said.

"I…I'm scared, Thomas…With everything that's been going on, I…I just feel so frightened all of a sudden…" Zelda was looking steadily at the ground. Statuedramon's words from earlier today came back to me.

_For the first time in my life…I'm actually afraid. I'm not scared that I might get killed, but that I might get killed without having done everything I could have done to protect my family._ Zelda stepped closer to me and grabbed onto my arm. _Everyone…is losing confidence over what happened. Am I…the only one who hasn't…? No…that isn't true. Lilithmon and her friends are stronger than before, and if I die, then…then I won't be able to keep Zelda and Statuedramon or anyone else safe…I just can't allow myself to think about those things. All I can do is think about each challenge as they come to us, one at a time. If I focus on only the one thing at a time, everything should turn out fine._ I stopped myself from thinking any further before the words 'and if everything _doesn't_ turn out fine' entered my head. I looked down at Zelda, and gave her trembling hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Guys…I think I see something up ahead," Statuedramon said. I looked up and saw a tall figure advancing very slowly toward us. The torch flames went wild, glowing brighter as the figure passed them.

"…That's him," I said. "It's SkullCaliphmon…"

"Thomas…I was hoping I would find you in here!" SkullCaliphmon said. "You boner…after you killed me last time, I've been waiting to get my revenge on you, so I had Lupinemon trick you into landing in my castle. Do you like it? I designed it myself." I let go of Zelda's hand and walked toward the Mega Digimon. "Over five-hundred years ago, I raised this castle up from the sand."

"Thomas…if I couldn't kill Hydramon a few days ago, then you _definitely_ won't be able to kill SkullCaliphmon," Statuedramon said.

"Statuedramon, I want you to take Zelda and get out of here," I said. "I might not win…but I'll fight him off for as long as I can…"

"Thomas!" Zelda cried in protest.

"Oh, how adorable! The little bonehead thinks he stands a chance!" SkullCaliphmon laughed.

"Statuedramon…keep her safe for me."

Statch nodded, but before they could move, SkullCaliphmon cried out, "Sirocco Sword!"

I raised my sword, prepared to defend against the attack when Zelda pulled me out of the way to the ground.

"Come on!" Statuedramon grabbed both of our arms and dragged us away from SkullCaliphmon, who began laughing again when we passed the corner. The two of us struggled to our feet and began running.

"Zelda…why—" I asked as we followed Statch through the gloomy corridor.

"Tommy…do I still need to tell you?" Zelda smiled at me. "After my sister…you were the first person to show me kindness after a lifetime of cruelty and sadness…I love you, Tommy, and I don't ever want to see you throw your life away…okay?"

"…I'm sorry…" The feelings and thoughts I felt at that moment were cut off by the frantic and shaky voice of Statch.

"Guys, dead end up ahead!" he exclaimed. I looked up, seeing that our running had led us straight up to a wall.

"Oh, good; and here I was, starting to get bored out of my skull!" said a nearby voice. I turned back around and saw SkullCaliphmon smirking at us. "It _was_ fun, though…chasing you around like this…but I'm afraid I must dispose of you now.

"Get behind me," Statuedramon said, holding up his shield. SkullCaliphmon held up his two-bladed sword, prepared to swing it.

"Sirocco Sword!" A loud crash from behind us interrupted SkullCaliphmon. The wall caved in, and a surge of flames tore through it and surrounded SkullCaliphmon.

"What are you waiting for?! Get out of there!"

_That voice…is it—_

"Flamedramon, is that you?!" Zelda asked excitedly, climbing through the hole in the brick wall.

"Yeah…it's me," Flamedramon said. The Digimon helped us climb through the exit he made, and the four of us began running as fast as we could away from the castle.

"Oh, Flamedramon! I haven't seen you in so long! Where have you been? I was so worried about you!"

"Ah, come on…why would you worry about someone like me?" Flamedramon asked. "After everything I've done, too, you were still concerned about me…"

"…Do you not want me to worry about you?"

"I…uh…oh, jus—just keep running, damn it!"

"Where are you taking us?" Statuedramon asked.

"…We're going to Acacia," Flamedramon said. "Rumor has it there's an incredibly powerful Digimon Talisman there."

"Oh, is that so?" The form of a large Digimon materialized before us.

"DeathPhantomon!" Flamedramon gasped. Seeing the Digimon I had just recently killed was somewhat unnerving, but not so much as his presence, his voice, and his deep, red eye.

"…SkullCaliphmon's slacking off if the lot of you were able to escape," DeathPhantomon said.

"Stand aside!" Flamedramon said. DeathPhantomon's only visible eye narrowed with disdain.

"…Thou art not the Digimon I knew," DeathPhantomon said. "Even so…thy presence makes me ill. Thou must be dealt with!"

"Stand back, everyone!" Flamedramon shouted. "Flame Fist!" Flamedramon's attack hit DeathPhantomon's body directly.

"…Just as I had suspected…thou art not nearly as strong as the other I fought. I erred in believing otherwise," DeathPhantomon sighed. "Mirage of Darkness!" DeathPhantomon's eye began to glow, and both he and Flamedramon became surrounded in darkness. Flamedramon's screams cut through the silence of the night, and the darkness began to fade away. To my horror, I saw Flamedramon laying in the sand, clutching his chest in pain.

"Flamedramon, are you okay?!" Zelda ran to the fallen Digimon's side.

"It…it was…Abigail…Abigail was here," Flamedramon said.

"No, it wasn't," I said. "That was one of DeathPhantomon's tricks…you can't let that Digimon get to you, Flamedramon!"

"I…I know…" Flamedramon forced himself up, to DeathPhantomon's annoyance.

"Oh, dear…I thought if I turned my form into that of the woman he loves, he'd have lost the will to fight," DeathPhantomon said. "Verily, will I have to take a different approach…"

"Bring it on…I'm prepared for whatever it is you've got!" Flamedramon said.

"In that case, I bid thee Welcome…to My Nightmare!" In an instant, Flamedramon fell to his back, his eyes wide open in terror, both glowing bright red, like DeathPhantomon's.

"Flamedramon!" Zelda began running to the screaming Digimon, but I quickly grabbed her arm to keep her from being attacked by DeathPhantomon.

"Do not fear for his safety…all that is happening to him…is only confined to the boundaries of his own imagination," DeathPhantomon said.

"Flamedramon! Flamedramon, I'm coming!" Zelda exclaimed.

"Into the Realm of Darkness!" A huge shadow formed beneath Flamedramon, swallowing him up as quickly as it had appeared.

"Flamedramon! Flamedramon…" The shadow disappeared completely when Zelda approached it. "What…what did you do to him?!"

DeathPhantomon snickered. "I sent him…to the realm of darkness," he said. "Quite obvious from the name of my attack, is it not?"

"The _what_?! You mean the Dark Area?" Statuedramon asked.

"No, not _that_ place…Verily, is Flamedramon forever locked in a nightmare, doomed to wander in the shadows for all eternity…what better punishment for the Digimon who killed me over five hundred years ago?!"

"But…that wasn't the same Flamedramon who you fought," Zelda said tearfully. "He…he's one of the Marked…he has nothing to do with—"

"That matters not!" DeathPhantomon interrupted. "He was of the same species…and his punishment was better than what he truly deserved."

"How…how could you?!"

"You may all run along now," DeathPhantomon said.

"What?!"

"Nya ha ha…and earlier, I criticized Lupinemon for almost letting the lot of you go…" DeathPhantomon sighed. "I suppose I merely enjoy threatening others…and torturing. Torturing is fun, too."

_So…this is what DeathPhantomon is truly capable of…If I can just destroy that jewel around his neck…_

"I am only giving you this one opportunity to escape, mind you. If you chose not to do so…then thou shalt join Flamedramon in the infinite nightmare for the rest of your days!"

_DeathPhantomon…with all of his allies free, he's too powerful…But…if we…if we wait until later…when a few of the others are gone, when he will be weaker…_ "Statuedramon…Zelda…let's take his advice."

"What?! Weren't you the one hoping to run into one of these freaks?!" Statuedramon asked.

"No…not DeathPhantomon," I said. "Not…yet."

"Not _yet_? Hey, what do you mean?"

"Thou art a clever one," DeathPhantomon said.

"…Come. Let's go." I turned from DeathPhantomon and began walking north toward Celosia Province.

"Well, if we _aren't _actually going to fight him, then where _are_ we going?" Statch asked.

"Let's just go back home for now," I whispered. "Maybe Apollomon and a few of the others will have returned by now…"


	89. Landslide

**Seraphimon**

**Black Rose Mountains**

**12 Hours**

"Apollomon! Apollomon, where are you, damn it?!" I landed clumsily on a peak's edge. My ten golden wings were drooped with exhaustion from the latest wasted hour of searching for Apollomon. Several of my feathers were still badly singed from Hydramon's attack. "Damn it…where…could he be?!" I looked toward the sky; the dark clouds were as thick as ever, and no amount of sunlight shone through…that is, _if_ it were daytime. _I'm pretty sure it is, though…Not that that matters. I need to find Apollomon!_ "Oh, Apollomon…where did you go?"

"Seraphimon, is that you?"

"…You've got to be kidding me…" I looked down and saw Apollomon walking with Dianamon and BlackGaomon alongside one of the many cliffs littered throughout the area. "Apollomon…WHERE ARE THE OTHERS?!" I flew down and landed in front of the Mega Digimon. "WHERE ARE THEY?!"

"Seraphimon…I felt it best that we separate into smaller groups for the time being," Apollomon said. I stared in silence at my old friend.

"…You…actually _thought_ that would be a good idea?! Do you not remember how strong these Digimon are, Apollomon?! Do you not care for the well-being of your comrades?!"

"…Of course I do, Seraphimon, but I just thought it would be better for us to be in smaller groups for mobility and to decrease our chances of detection."

"You know _damn well_ that won't make the slightest difference! You know who we're dealing with, Apollomon! You know your friends will be found, damn it! What will you do then? You can't protect them if you're far away from them like this! Or do you just care more for the _Digimon_ members of your group than you do the Humans?"

"Seraphimon, for fuck's sake, calm down," Apollomon said. "I care about all of my comrades equally, even more so than I do myself."

"…You've changed, Apollomon," I sighed. "You…you used to be the best at figuring these kinds of things out…"

"I'm not the one who changed," Apollomon said. "The one who changed…is you."

"Wha—"

"Lilithmon's death…Ophanimon's betrayal…they changed you, Seraphimon, and not for the better. You are supposed to be an Angel Digimon, and yet you think of nothing more than bloodshed, or rather, how you can get yourself involved in it." A small chill ran up my spine that made my ten wings twitch restlessly.

"Apollomon, I…how did you…know?"

"When you formed that group, the Celestial Vanguard…who was the only one who you knew beforehand? Who was your best friend all those years ago? Seraphimon…we've been friends long enough for me to know exactly how it is you're feeling. You cannot…allow yourself to be consumed by your wrath. What happened with Ophanimon was _not_ your fault, and there isn't a single person who thinks that it was. There was nothing _anybody_ could've done to help her. It's all in the past now, and there's nothing to be done about it. For now, we have to deal with what's happening now in the present, and not what happened in the past, or even what _will_ happen in the future."

"Worrying about our futures…can come after making sure there is a future to worry about…right? Isn't that what you always used to say?" Apollomon nodded. "But, Apollomon…what if…what if I've already been consumed by my rage?"

"…All of us will just have to press onwards. If it ever becomes too much for you to handle…you can quit, you know. With or without you…Lachesis will continue to fight against the darkness spread by Lilithmon." I stared blankly at Apollomon for the longest time before sighing.

"If you are going to fight against Lilithmon…then I am going with you," I said.

"…Glad to have you with us, old friend," Apollomon said, holding out his hand. I held out mine as well when a high-pitched shriek pierced the air. The four of us looked up and saw a large Digimon flying around in circles in the dark, cloudy sky. "Damn it, they've found us so soon?!"

"Apollomon and Seraphimon! I have been given orders from Lilithmon!" Horusmon shouted. "I have been ordered to take the both of you directly to Lilithmon! If you do not resist, I will not harm your two friends down there!"

"N—no way…What should we do, Apollomon?" BlackGaomon asked.

"We fight, obviously," Apollomon said. "Arrow of Apollo!" Apollomon unleashed flaming arrows from his hands at the flying Digimon, all of which missed.

"…I should've known you'd refuse," Horusmon said. "Obviously, you don't trust me…and you were correct in not doing so! I am impressed, Apollomon!"

"Horusmon, come down here and fight us!" I yelled.

"If you didn't fall for _my_ trick, what makes you think I'll fall for _yours_?!" Horusmon shrieked. "Ebon Flames of Purgatory!" Horusmon struck the side of a cliff with his attack, creating a massive explosion that sent huge boulders raining down on us. It all seemed happen instantaneously; I looked up just in time to see the explosion before the boulders came crashing down on all of us and I blacked out.

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**Living Room**

"Apollomon, Dianamon, and BlackGaomon haven't made it back yet?!" Statuedramon exclaimed.

"I am afraid dey have not," Pheragas said, shaking his bald head. "Looking back, it vas probably not a good idea for all of us to split vays like dis…"

"C'mon, now; this is Apollomon and Dianamon you're talking about," Luna said. "The two of them are both Mega level Digimon; I'm sure they'll be okay."

"And there's also Seraphimon too, mommy," Chrysania chimed in. "He's probably just as powerful as Mister Apollomon, so they'll all be _really_ okay!"

"Still, it worries me that they've been gone this long without returning," I said, exchanging glances with Pheragas.

"…Thomas, listen to me for a moment," Pheragas said. "Before we parted vays vith Apollomon, he told me something important about de Celestial Vanguard."

"What did he say?" Zelda asked.

"One of dem…might still be alive."

"Digimon have pretty long lifespans; isn't it possible that _all_ of them are alive?" Statuedramon asked.

"Perhaps…but Apollomon knows not dare locations…Oder dan dis one, dat is."

"Who is it?" I asked.

"His name is Neptunemon," Luna said. "There've been rumors of a Digimon matching Neptunemon's description being sighted heading toward Nymphaea Province about fifty years ago."

"Fifty years?! How does _that_ help us?!" Statuedramon asked.

"According to Seraphimon and Apollomon, Neptunemon isn't the sort of guy to travel around a lot; he just picks a spot and sticks with it for a few decades."

"So…there's a chance that he may still be there?" I asked.

"I tink it may be de only chance ve have," Pheragas said.

"…All right. I'll be going then," I said, turning to leave.

"What, so soon?" Luna asked. "Don't you want to…I don't know…rest up a little bit? You just got back, after all…"

"I don't have time to rest, what with everything that's been going on," I said. "Zelda, Statuedramon, you two can come with me if you'd like, but I'd rather you—"

"Of course I'm going with you!" Zelda said. "Tommy, you're always looking out for me; please let me do the same for you!"

"And you'll need my shield in case you run into any of those Digimon," Statuedramon added. "Goddess knows you're no good without me around!"

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence, Statch," I said.

Statuedramon laughed. "I'm ready to go whenever you are, Thomas," he said.

I looked over at Zelda, who nodded in agreement with the Rookie. "All right," I said. "Let's go, then."


	90. Land of Ice

**Thomas Kasuto**

**3 Days**

"Thomas, it's starting to get dark out," Statuedramon said, looking around at the perpetual white of Nymphaea Province; the ice, the snow, even the sky at night was white in this province. "Shouldn't we stop and rest for the night?"

"No. We've officially entered Nymphaea Province. We'll need to stay active at night when it's colder, because if we go to sleep now, we'll freeze. We'll be sleeping during the day, when it's warmer."

"Are you sure about that? Either way, this place will be really fucking cold…"

"Why do you think Victoria always brought us here during the day while we trained with her? It's always warmer during the day, even in a place like this. We've just got to keep moving, and we'll be fine."

"So, why aren't you cold?" Zelda asked. "You've even offered to give me your jacket like you did last time…"

"Yeah, I've been here all those times you came here with Victoria, and _I'm_ cold!" Statch said.

"This is only the second time you've been here, Zelda, so it's normal for you to still be affected by the drastic drop in temperature, and Dragon Digimon like Statuedramon are cold-blooded. Cold-blooded Digimon are much more active in the warmer areas of the continent, and are very sluggish in the colder areas. Of course, Statuedramon is usually sluggish anyway, so there's not much difference."

"That's only when I'm hungry!" Statch protested.

"And you're always hungry," I said.

"This is true…"

"Thomas…did Victoria _really_ train you two in this place?" Zelda asked. "Wouldn't you have been five years old at that point?"

"No, she didn't start training me until I was eight, when we found Statch," I said. "It wasn't until I was ten that she brought me here. She lived in Valneva Territory, so it would only take an hour or so for us to reach Nymphaea for our training to begin."

"I always _hated_ those training sessions," Statch said. "She and Thomas always did it in the nude, so I guess I can't complain as much…"

"In the…nude?! Thomas, how did you manage _that_?!" Zelda asked, a look of bewilderment and slight embaressment on her face.

"She trained me to the point where it wouldn't bother me anymore," I said. "She watched over me at all times to ensure I would continue to move. Needless to say, I feel quite fine with all of this."

"She should've trained you in the desert, buddy; you have difficulty with hot temperatures like I do with cold temperatures," Statuedramon said.

"…I asked her about that. She said…she didn't ever want to go back to the desert," I said. "At the time, I only knew that she had been there before, but now…I have a feeling that's…where Clive…"

"…I see…" The three of us continued to walk in silence through the night's blizzard for what felt like an hour, Zelda's shivering hand clasped in mine for warmth.

"Thomas, it's getting really hard to see," Statch said. "Do you think…maybe we should go back? Can we at least stop at a place close by, like in Valneva Territory? We could come back in the morning—"

"No! We came here knowing it would probably take a few days before we found Neptunemon, and I intend to stay here until he's found!"

"But what if he isn't here anymore?!"

"We can't afford to think like that; we need to find as many allies as we can to help us," I said. "I…I will not give up until Neptunemon is found, no matter what!" An intense, bloodcurdling roar shook the very air without warning, causing even the blizzard to slow and diminish.

"Zelda…_please_ tell me that was your stomach," Statuedramon said nervously.

"_Statuedramon_!" she protested in her oft heard embarrassed voice.

The solid ice we stood on shook as something heavy, something large, began walking toward us. Even through the remnants of the blizzard, all we could see were two red eyes, glowing, and a colossal figure.

"Something's approaching us again," I said. I gripped the handle of my sword and stepped in front of Zelda.

"Do you think it could be Zudomon?" Zelda asked.

"I doubt it; even if Vajramon didn't kill him, there's no way a Digimon his size could've made a sound that loud." The Digimon began walking toward us again until we could clearly see its monstrous, bestial face.

"No way…_this_ guy of all of them?!" Statch asked. "He was strong enough before, but now, with all twelve of them free…"

"Well, if I believed in it, this would be what one might consider an ironic twist of _fate_, no?" Belphemon asked. "That, here, I would meet up with the three who sent me to the Dark Area the second time…Tell me, what brings you three here?"

"We…we're going to find a way to defeat you!" Statch exclaimed. "All twelve of you!"

"Defeat _us_?! Hah!"

"We will not allow you to continue your twisted plans of world domination," I said. "Whatever it takes, we will stop you!"

"_World domination_? Do you _really_ think we're doing all of this for such a trite, meaningless reason as _that_?!" Belphemon asked. "No! We are more complex than that! What we want…is the freedom to do what we desire! It is our _freedom_ that we _really_ want…"

"If you really want freedom, then stop doing things that make others take that freedom away!" Statuedramon said.

"…You don't understand. I didn't expect you to, though," Belphemon sighed. "Having freedom…entitles us to do as we wish."

"…What do you want to do with your freedom?" I asked. "What is it you _really_ want?"

"All of us…almost all of us are Virus Digimon," Belphemon said. "It's in our blood to do the things we do. I think you know what they are. Doing those things…it gives our lives meaning…it gives us purpose."

"Hurting innocent people gives your lives meaning?!" Zelda asked incredulously.

Belphemon grinned. "Yes. It does. It is all merely…an instinct for us. Second nature. We feel like we have no greater purpose in life than to inflict pain and suffering on others," he said. "That being said…allow me to give my life meaning…by destroying _you three_! Lampranthus!"

"Thomas, get back!" Statuedramon jumped in front of me, holding up his shield as one of the chains wrapped around Belphemon's arm struck the Rookie Digimon down. "Wait…what? I thought…that attack did something different…"

Belphemon laughed. "You are aware of how all twelve of us have powers unique to us? Foreign to other Digimon of our species?" he asked.

"Then…your power; what is it?" Statuedramon asked.

"My power…is the ability to alter the memories of all those I wish. With that power…I am able to make my enemies forget what my attacks do so they will be unable to properly defend themselves. It's kind of fun, don't you think?" Statuedramon glared at the huge Mega. "Although…I haven't actually used it yet. It seems you've forgotten all on your own."

"…_Seriously_?!"

"Now, stand still so I can cut you all up into little pieces!" Belphemon shoved his claw into the ice before us, narrowly missing Statuedramon by a few inches.

"Come forth, SaberLeomon!"

"Howling Crusher!" Zelda's summoned Digimon Spirit rushed forth and swiped his enormous claws at Belphemon, who caught them in his own hands.

"The Digimon that defeated me last time...I wonder…are you truly capable of doing so again?" Belphemon asked.

"I am!" SaberLeomon roared. "Twin Fang!"

"Gift of Darkness!" Belphemon swatted away SaberLeomon's attack and clawed through the Spirit's face. "Well…I'll take that to be a 'no,' then." SaberLeomon roared one last time before disappearing.

…_The Digimon…who defeated Belphemon five hundred years ago…it was Neptunemon!_ "Let's get out of here!"

"For once, I agree!" Statuedramon said, following behind Zelda and me as we took off.

"Go ahead, run all you like!" Belphemon snarled as he began to chase after us. "You can't escape destiny!"

"Hey, look up ahead!" Statch pointed to a huge wall of ice. "There's a cave there we can hide in!"

"Statuedramon, that opening looks large enough for Belphemon to follow us in there!" I said.

"Well, all we have to do is keep running around in that cave until we find some part of it where Belphemon can't follow us!"

"And if we don't find a place like that?!"

"Well, if we _don't_ go in there, we'll have to fight him anyway; this way, there's a chance we'll lose him," Zelda said.

"Fine, let's go!" We ran into the cave where, to my relief, Belphemon was unable to follow us. Instead, the beast stood outside, trying to forcefully claw his way in, but to no avail.

"See, what did I tell you? You just need to learn to trust me a little more!" Statch grinned.

"…Yeah…I'll do that next time…Sorry…"

"Eh, no harm done. I'm not usually the most reliable guy, anyway…"

"Then you were very out of character just then. Keep it up." I sighed, sitting down to catch my breath. "Zelda…are you okay?"

"…Up ahead…I see something," she said, pointing toward a pathway.

"Thomas…I smell a Digimon," Statuedramon said. "And I'm not talking about Belphemon, either…But I do not recognize the scent…"

"Well, let's go see who it is, shall we?" I asked. "Whoever it is, I doubt it'll be worse than Belphemon."

We walked down the icy path until we came into a large room. The room was empty, and it was made entirely of ice. There was an opening in the ceiling that allowed one to view the sky. In the middle of the room stood a huge Digimon encased in ice.

"…That's him," Statuedramon said. "That's the Digimon whose scent I caught…"

"Who do you think it is?" Zelda asked.

"Do you think…it could be Neptunemon?" I asked. "None of us have ever seen him before…"

"Well, if it is, then we should probably unthaw him," Statuedramon said.

"I'm on it!" Zelda said. "Come forth, Dynasmon!"

"You desire my services, milady?" Dynasmon asked, kneeling before Zelda.

"I need you to unthaw that Digimon," Zelda said.

"Understood."

"Don't hurt him, though!" Zelda added quickly. "Just melt the ice, okay?"

"I understand, milady," Dynasmon said. "Dragon's Roar!" Dynasmon fired two flaming orbs from the palms of his hands at the frozen Digimon. The ice shattered and melted away instantly. The Digimon's eyes blinked once…twice…

"Excuse me…sir? Are you okay?" Zelda asked. The Digimon's head turned to look at us.

"…You…were you the ones who saved me?" the Digimon asked slowly.

"Yes, Dynasmon here was the one who unthawed you," Zelda said. Dynasmon bowed his head modestly before disappearing.

"Can you tell us who you are?" Statuedramon asked. "And what are you doing in a place like this?"

"My name…is Neptunemon," the Digimon said.

"Neptunemon?! _The_ Neptunemon?!" Statch asked.

"I take it…you've heard of me?" Neptunemon asked.

"We came here looking for you," I said. "We need your help, Neptunemon. Lilithmon and her allies are back."

"You don't say…I though all of the nonsense was over with four hundred years ago, when Lilithmon killed herself…" Neptunemon shook his head. "I came here to get away from all the bloodshed, and I thought I would never have to fight again until I encountered a Digimon calling himself IceDevimon froze me here. Tell me; what year is it?"

"It is the year 798," Zelda said.

"798…about a hundred years, I'd say, give or take a decade or two," Neptunemon said. "Well, I was never very good at math. Or battling, I'm afraid; I gave my spear away before coming here to Nymphaea so I wouldn't have to fight again."

"You _what_?!" Statuedramon looked at Neptunemon with scorn in his eyes. "But…if you don't have your spear…then…"

"Take it easy, I didn't say I wouldn't help you out," Neptunemon said. "But…without my spear…I may not be very helpful to you…"

"Who did you give your spear to?" I asked. "If we find it for you…will you use it to help us?"

"I gave it to a Digimon blacksmith called Vulcanusmon. He undoubtedly modified it and gave it to whoever wished for it."

"…Tommy…" Zelda turned to look at me; her eyes were wide with shock and curiosity.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Anna…my sister, Hannah…she didn't talk about it much, but…one time, while we were both in Adonis Village, she told me that her spear was one once used by a legendary Digimon…"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Statch protested. "What the hell are the odds of that?!"

"If you feel as though it belongs to your sister, then I implore you to go search for it," Neptunemon said. "If you truly wish for my help…then that spear may be the key."

"Couldn't you just use like, a giant icicle or something?" Statch asked.

"No. My spear, the King's Bite, was different from other weapons. It had a mind of its own…and would always do as I commanded," Neptunemon said.

"…I have a feeling this means we're going to…_Cyclamen_," I said.

"Just one problem," Statuedramon said. "Belphemon's standing right outside the only way out of this cave; as soon as we escape, he'll tear us to shreds!"

"Belphemon? If its Belphemon…I should be able to hold him off…while you three escape," Neptunemon said. "After all, Belphemon was my target Digimon four hundred…ish…years ago."

"Are you sure about this, sir?" Zelda asked.

"Certainly. Lilithmon and the others all had to be stopped…many years ago, just like I'm sure they must be stopped now. Lead me to Belphemon!"

"Very well. The entrance is this way." I led the four of us to the cave's entrance where, to no surprise, Belphemon stood waiting for us.

"Allow me to go first," Neptunemon said. "Wave of Depth!" Neptunemon created a surge of water that shot through the mouth of the cave and struck Belphemon, knocking him to the ground. Neptunemon quickly slid through the cave's mouth.

"Neptunemon…it's been a while," Belphemon said. "That attack you just used…was it not the one you used the caused Mandala to sink to the bottom of the ocean?"

"You three, go!" Neptunemon shouted. We nodded, and ran out from behind the God Man Digimon. Belphemon merely laughed as we did.

"Go on; run away," he said. "It'll be that much easier for me to kill your friend!" Zelda looked back as Belphemon and Neptunemon continued their fight.

"Don't look back!" I said. "Keep going! We have to get to Cyclamen!" _Damn, I never thought I'd _ever_ say _that_…_


	91. City of Dread

**Generalmon**

**Acacia City**

**Shendu Territory**

**2 Days**

The deed has been done. In but a few days' time, the entire city of Acacia lay in ruins before me. The first of my tasks had been to kill the royal family of Shendu Territory, all of whom lived in this city. I had been nearly successful; I had murdered the emperor and empress. Their children, however, who had been taken away by the strongest of the surviving guards, had all escaped to parts unknown to me. With their leaders dead, the people of Acacia had soon begun to riot in the streets. Many had fled at the first sight of me; some, however, had foolishly approached me, and they now lay dead on the ground. With the populace all but demolished, my next task had been to lay waste to the city of Acacia itself. Buildings lay in scattered piles of rubble before me. The scent of death lingered in the air. The moon was at the center of the black, midnight sky. I looked at my surroundings, admiring my work. A cool breeze wafted through the gaps in my armor, creating a quiet, metallic clang that broke through the silence. My halberd, Europa, rested on the bloodied ground at my feet.

"…After all this time…justice…has been bestowed unto this city…This city of dread…" My voice was carried out by the wind, and echoed faintly. Above me, a dark cloud loomed between the full moon and myself. A red lightning bolt shot down from it and struck the earth behind me.

"…Generalmon. I see your skills have not been dulled during your stay in the Dark Area."

"Hello…Cherubimon." I turned to face the Digimon that had joined me. "My skills must be nothing compared to yours…You were not left to rot in the abyss of Hell."

"Perhaps…but all the same…I am thankful you are an ally of mine, and not an enemy," Cherubimon smiled.

"My sentiments exactly, my old friend." Cherubimon smiled, and began looking around at the ruined Acacia.

"…What exactly _was_ your grudge with this city about, Generalmon?" he asked.

"It was a long time ago; more years than I care to admit," I said. "It all began…long before my soul became steeped in darkness…"

_The body of my best friend lay before me, soaked in her own blood. She was a Human, but our different races never caused any form of conflict between us. We had always been there for each other…When I had lost my axe, Europa, and become surrounded by enemies, Celina Rosalina was there for me; when Celina gave birth to the adorable daughter her late husband had impregnated her with, I had been there for her…and when Celina had been ambushed by Shendian Knights…I…unfortunately…was not there for her…Because of my tardiness…she had been ruthlessly slain as a part of a nobleman's game. The nobleman…I know not his true objective, but for his own amusement, Celina had been killed by a horde of knights he sent out. He was a distant relative of the emperor of Shendu at that time, and so I traveled to visit the emperor. I pleaded with him to look into the affairs of his corrupted cousin, and I was promised a swift justice would be dealt unto him. And so I waited…and waited…and waited…and still no justice. Celina Rosalina's infant daughter grew up into a beautiful woman, and eventually came to have children herself; without any parents, I looked after Celina's daughter her as my own. Days passed by…and they soon turned into years…As if trying to apologize for not being able to protect Celina, I always stayed near one of her descendents, and protected them with all my might whenever it was required of me to do so. Many years had passed, and sill no word about the mastermind of Celina's heinous death. The corrupted ruler had died, to my relief, but his successor had continued the sick "game" his predecessor had played, whatever it was. Soon, one hundred years had passed, and the "game" continued. Many others had died, all to satiate whatever unwholesome desires gripped at those noblemen and women. As the years passed by, my rage increased…and with it…my darkness. At that point in time, I had become a member of the Order of the Enchantress. I thought…I thought that by joining that organization, I would have the power to set things right. But when I did find the power necessary, it was far too late for anything good to happen…_

"So…_that's_ your story," Cherubimon whispered.

"Yes…the two of us are alike, aren't we?" I asked. Cherubimon nodded.

"Indeed…I joined the Order after Lilithmon. I didn't want to leave her with the other Digimon of this group, even though I myself am a Celestial Digimon, like Seraphimon…I stayed with her in the darkness too long, and I became corrupted."

"Yes. We are alike…and so we are friends…right?" The two of us exchanged glances.

"We were both born as good Digimon, and we were both destined to descend into the pit of Hell; I, the Guardian of Knowledge, and you, the guardian of the innocent. Just look at us now…Arcadia…She would never forgive me for this transgression. And you…once a protector, and now a murderer." Cherubimon sighed, and shook his head. He tilted his round head up, and looked at the moon. "Time is a most wondrous thing, is it not? In its flow, societies flourish and prosper; in its ebb, lives are lost, becoming nothing more than faded memories forever lost in the shadow of time."

"…Yes…We really _have_ changed…the question is; was this change for the better? We gained the power we both sought, but at what price? Our souls. Our souls are forever doomed to wander for all an eternity in Hell…"

"Unless we are successful." Behind my helmet, I smiled at Cherubimon's words.

"And there is but one way to…and that is to ensure the destruction of Lachesis."

Cherubimon nodded. "Speaking of whom…Several of Lachesis's members are on their way to Cyclamen City," he said. "They seek Neptunemon's lance in the hopes of defeating Belphemon the Indolent."

"…The odds of that occurring are exceedingly low," I said. "But just to be sure…shall we venture to Cyclamen?"

"I shall do as you wish, my friend."

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Cyclamen City**

**2 Days**

"I see this place is as…_loathsome_ as ever," I said, surveying the landscape of the still-ruined city. "Sends a chill down my spine every time…" I looked down at the ground, observing the shadow I cast due to the sun's bright glare.

"This…this city is where…she…where Anna…died…isn't it?" Zelda asked.

"…Yeah." I looked down at the petite young woman; her eyes were fixated on the ground, and filled with sadness. She looked as though she were ready to cry. "Zelda…I'm sorry…"

"Tommy, I already told you; Anna's death was not your fault," Zelda said solemnly and calmly.

"Well, okay, that too," I said. "What I was apologizing for…when we first became a couple…I promised you that every day, you would be smiling. I haven't been doing a good job of keeping that promise lately, have I…"

"Tommy…I…it's okay…you can't blame yourself for what's been happening lately," Zelda said. She looked up at me and gave me a forced smile. "I…I'm fine…really, but…could you tell me…how it happened?"

"You mean…how she died?" Zelda nodded slowly, almost unnoticeably. "That is…the one thing I cannot tell you. All I will tell you is that it was IceDevimon who did it."

"…I understand…"

"Do you want to wait here while I go find the lance?"

"…No. I'll go with you. Even if she's there…I'd want to see her…one last time…"

_Hmm…Maybe…I _should_ tell her how it happened….Well…at the very least, there won't be a half-decomposed corpse to traumatize her for the rest of her life…That's not something she needs, after all she's been through._ I took a brief look around the ruined city. "Okay…we were…over in that direction when it happened." The three of us walked through the sand-covered rubble that lay scattered throughout Cyclamen.

"This isn't a very large city; Cyclamen isn't as large as Yew or Acacia, so we shouldn't have to be here for too long," Statuedramon said.

"…That's good to know," I said. "The sooner we can get out of this damned city…the sooner we can go back to Nymphaea to help Neptunemon." After clearing past a particularly large piece of debris from Sephyrus's old church, at long last, we found Hannah's lance, lying on the ground and covered in sand.

"So…this thing really belonged to Neptunemon, huh?" Statch picked up the lance, dusting the sand off of it and examining it. "Looks pretty powerful."

"We don't know for sure if it once belonged to Neptunemon or not," I said. "But if he _thinks_ that it is…then he'll fight with us."

"Oh, I get it," Statch said. "And we won't even be lying very much, because for all we know, it _could_ be his! And as long as he thinks it's his, then he'll fight better with it than if he doesn't believe it's his!"

"Precisely."

"…Tommy…where's Anna's…where's her body?" Zelda asked. "I don't see her anywhere…"

"Oh…it's…been over a month since it happened; there's a lot that could've happened," I said.

"…Oh…I was hoping I could see her one last time…But with her body nowhere in sight…"

"There was never a body." My heart jumped at the voice that just spoke. I turned around and spotted a huge Digimon covered in armor.

"You…are you Generalmon?" Statuedramon asked.

"Indeed I am," the Digimon said. "And you three must be the ones responsible for the death of my brethren."

"What do you mean…there was never a body?" Zelda asked. Generalmon's helmeted head turned to face her.

"Sephyrus told me. I'm unsure how he knows; it may have been the other Bio Hybrid who told him," Generalmon said. "Before Hannah was killed, she was covered in ice—"

"GENERALMON, SHUT YOUR MOUTH!" I yelled.

"A Digimon known as IceDevimon froze her completely solid," Generalmon continued. Tears began falling down Zelda's reddened cheeks.

"Generalmon, I'm warning you!" Statuedramon said.

"All he had to do is snap his fingers…and she shattered into a million pieces…all while she was still alive."

"N—no…my…my sister…was…" Zelda fell to her knees; tears were slowly falling down her flushed cheeks.

"Killed in such a horrid fashion, no?" Generalmon asked. "Her death may have been instantaneous, but even so, it must have hurt a great deal."

"H—Hannah…Hannah…"

"That's _enough_, Generalmon!" I shouted, brandishing my sword.

"Are you angry? Do you hate me? Then take that rage and direct it at _yourself_, swordsman," Generalmon said. "It was _you_ who was unable to save that girl. _You_, Thomas Kasuto, were the one who stood by and watched as she was brutally murdered…completely useless."

"No…it wasn't…it wasn't Tommy's…fault," Zelda said in a small, shaky voice as she stood up.

"…Is he that important to you?" Generalmon asked.

"…More than…anyone," Zelda replied.

"Is he so important to you that you're forgiving him for the death of your beloved sister?" Zelda stared at the large Mega Digimon. I could hear her breathing harder. "Show me how important." Zelda placed a trembling hand into her satchel and pulled out a Digimon Talisman.

"Come forth…Dynasmon…" The Exalted Knight appeared before her, facing Generalmon, whom Zelda pointed at. "Make him…go…away…"

Generalmon snapped his fingers, and a huge axe materialized in his gauntlet-covered hands. "Dæmon Icircumflex!" He swung his axe in the air and struck Dynasmon in the chest, sending the Spirit flying through the air into a building behind him. I reached for my sword once more, but Generalmon held up his hand to stop me. "Don't be reckless. Do _you_ want to end up like the girl you couldn't save? Do you wish to end up with your body scattered into a million pieces?"

"We'd have to fight you anyway; it might as well be now!" Statuedramon said.

"You…don't stand a chance as you are now," Generalmon sighed. "Behold…my mastery of gravity; Ars Prima!" Statuedramon and I slowly lifted off the ground as Generalmon watched.

"What the hell's going on?!" Statuedramon asked as our legs dangled helplessly below us.

"Ferreo Pugni Dæmonis!" Generalmon leaped up and punched us both in the face; the knuckles of his gauntlets grew spikes as he did. His attack sent us both hurtling to the ground in front of Zelda. "You see? Every little thing you do to stand against us…_all_ of it is pointless." Statuedramon and I stood back up, facing the Warrior Digimon.

"You haven't…beaten us yet!" Statuedramon said.

"It seems that you are correct. Allow me to fix that oversight; Daemon Icircumflex!" Generalmon struck us both with the side of his axe's blade, making us fall to the ground once more. "You are now about to witness…my true strength. Strength that your witch was lucky enough to have avoided seeing," Generalmon said. "Ultimum Artium!" Generalmon raised his axe high into the air when the projection of a large dragon crashed into him, knocking him to the ground. Dynasmon flew out from the rubble and struck Generalmon in the face.

"My lady has ordered me to deal with you," Dynasmon said. "And deal with you I shall! Breath of Wyvern!" Dynasmon summoned forth another dragon, this one larger than his previous, and attacked Generalmon with all his might. The attack resulted in a large explosion that kicked the sand and dust that covered the city's debris up into the air.

"All right, Dynasmon! You got him!" Statuedramon exclaimed.

"No…my attacks are not strong enough to mortally wound someone like him," Dynasmon said. "The three of you should leave this city as soon as you are able." Statuedramon and I looked at each other, and nodded.

"Thank you for your help, Dynasmon," I said. Dynasmon turned his head to look at Zelda.

"Just make sure she stays safe…That is all I want."

"You think we wouldn't?" Statch asked. Dynasmon bowed his head, and vanished. "Well, I guess it's back to Nymphaea for us, then…"

"Well, if we're lucky, Neptunemon's already done, and we won't have to deal with Belphemon," I said. "Zelda…are you okay?"

"…Yeah…I'll be okay," she whispered. "Don't…don't worry about me. We have to get back to Neptunemon…"

"Can you stand? Or do you need me to help you?"

"No, I'm fine. Please…don't worry about me…" Zelda stood up, smiling a forced smile at me. "Let's get going, shall we?"

* * *

**Generalmon**

**30 Minutes**

"You let them get away." I lay on my back, staring up at the dark grey sky. The clouds above were dark, and nearly black, like my own soul…

Cherubimon hovered in the air above my fallen body, looking down at me. "Why did you tell me not to interfere before we arrived here? If you had let me battle alongside you, then they would not have gotten away."

"…I am aware of that, Cherubimon," I said.

"So why, then, did you allow them to escape?"

"…Because this is fun." Using my halberd as support, I forced myself to stand up, ignoring the small pain I felt in my ribs. "This war…it is very entertaining, don't you think? This war between the Order of the Enchantress and Lachesis…Who do you think will win?"

"You don't think they have any chance of winning, do you?" Cherubimon asked.

"…Who knows…" I looked down at my armored hands. "Their witch…is powerful…And…she looks…familiar to me…If we were to fight again, I do not know if I could defeat her."

"Then defeating her shall be _my_ job, should we ever cross paths," Cherubimon replied. "That is…_if_ you don't have a problem with me doing do."

"…Yes…I do." I looked up at the towering Cherubimon. "No harm is to come to their witch. We shall annihilate their entire group, and any allies they might have, but we _shall_ spare the witch…even if…temporarily. There are…questions I have for her."

"…I understand, Generalmon."

"I shall be returning to Mandala," Cherubimon said. "I will stay at Lilithmon's side for as long as she has need of me to do so."

"Very well. I shall return to Acacia, and pick up where I left off."


	92. Doomed to the Darkness

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Nymphaea Province**

**4 Days**

"It's been over a week," I said, looking around at the snow and ice-covered desolation. "We've left Neptunemon alone in this place for eight days…"

"He'll be fine," Statuedramon said. He sighed, and a white vapor escaped from his snout. In spite of the cold, he continued walking forwards with us, and hadn't complained once. "He was frozen in place by IceDevimon for about one hundred years; I'd think battling a Digimon he's already killed should be a cakewalk for him."

"And that's precisely _why_ I'm worried," I said, glancing over my shoulder at the Rookie Digimon. "He was frozen for such a long time; surely his battle instincts have been dulled quite a bit in that time, not to mention the fact that his body must be unused to moving, and the sudden change of being freed from the ice. I'm surprised he's even alive, since IceDevimon's ice usually kills whoever touches it in an instant."

"But…he was frozen inside of that ice, and he's _still_ alive," Zelda said incredulously.

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah…The Digimon of the Celestial Vanguard…they're really something else." The eternal blizzard of the province had been raging ever since we set foot in this frozen wasteland, picking up where it had left off when Belphemon momentarily ended it as we left the province several days ago. I found the perpetual coldness of this land very refreshing compared to the scorching winds of the desert. I looked ahead, faintly making out two huge figures in the distance through the blinding snow. "I think I see them!"

"Where are they?!" Statuedramon asked. One of the figures was thrown into the air, landing on the ground in front of us. "Neptunemon!"

"Ugh…you…three…" Neptunemon looked at us. "Did you…find it?"

"It's right here, Neptunemon," Zelda said. She held the lance that had once belonged to her sister in her hands, which were trembling from the cold. The other figure in the distance jumped up and landed on top of Neptunemon.

"You…bastard…How…are you _this_ strong?!" Neptunemon asked.

"There's no need for you to know that," Belphemon said, beginning to laugh as Neptunemon coughed up blood.

"GET OFF OF HIM!" Statuedramon hurled himself at the larger Mega, who swatted him away with one of his chains. The Rookie landed on top of me as I was about to attack, burying us both in the snow as we hit the ground.

"Rejoice, Neptunemon," Belphemon said. "The death you've been longing for is nearly here!"

"No…please don't…kill me," Neptunemon said.

"Interesting choice of words for _you_ to use, since _you_ were the one to kill _me_ over five hundred years ago!" Belphemon roared.

"Come forth, SaberLeomon!"

"Fuck off!" Belphemon struck the Digimon Spirit with his claws as soon as he appeared, making him vanish once again. "Gift of Darkness!" Belphemon thrust his claws into Neptunemon's neck. Neptunemon's body thrashed around in agony; his arms flailed in the air helplessly as blood escaped through the hole in his neck, staining the pure white snow a deep red.

"NEPTUNEMON!"

"Heh heh heh…right where you got _me_ last time," Belphemon said. "Serves you right. Now…scatter into oblivion!"

Statuedramon and I dug ourselves out of the snow just in time to see Belphemon forcefully jab his knee into Neptunemon's chest before the dying Digimon's data vanished.

"Neptunemon…" Hannah's lance slipped from Zelda's fingers, hitting the red snow the same instant as her tears.

"That's it…you're fucking _dead_!" Statuedramon shouted. Belphemon stuck his claws into the ice before Statch, looking down at him.

"I have heard of what you are capable of, Rookie," Belphemon said. "They say you bested Hydramon and Machinedramon in a matter of seconds."

"We will not fail," I said, bending down to pick up Hannah's lance.

"You could still hope…to succeed…but it will not grant you anything apart from a swift and painful death!"

"If you really think you can…then just try getting past _me_!" Statch and I turned around; Gallantmon stood behind us, staring down Belphemon.

"Gallantmon…I thought…you left," Statuedramon said. "I saw you in Mandala last time, but I forgot to ask…"

"…Things happened," Gallantmon said. "…Since I stayed in this realm for as long as I did, it seems I am capable of coming over whenever I please."

"A Spirit crossing over all by himself? Unheard of!" Belphemon scoffed.

"Belphemon; you and many others are responsible for my master's grief," Gallantmon said.

"Your _master_?! Last I checked, you Spirits still have your own free will, and are able to make decisions for yourself. Yet, you claim this girl to be your master?!"

"…Yes. There was a period of time where I had left her, and at a critical moment, all because I was selfish. Even so…when we met up not too long ago, she treated me with kindness, and was concerned about my well-being, even when I attacked her. You are right; even as Spirits, we do not have what you would call 'masters,' but this girl… I possess an overwhelming urge to protect her, and even though I am dead, she treats me as an equal. Zelda…_is_ my master! Royal Saber!" A surge of lightning fired off from Gallantmon's spear struck Belphemon in the face.

"If this is all the strength you possess…this will be over very quickly!" Belphemon said. "That is good…I'm beginning to get drowsy…"

"Then allow me to permit you an eternal slumber! Final Elysion!"

"Lampranthus." Gallantmon became surrounded in black flames, stopping him from attacking. My shaking hands gripped the lance I held tightly, and without thinking, I ran forth and thrust the tip of its blade into Belphemon's leg. The Mega Digimon roared violently, trying to swat me away with his claws and chains, but failing. I looked up, looked at his face; his eyes were narrowed in intense agony, and his breathing was labored.

_Odd…a small prick like this shouldn't be causing _this_ much pain…_

"I don't understand it either," Gallantmon said, as if reading my mind. "But I ought to use this to my advantage…_shouldn't_ I?"

"Give it everything you've got, buddy," I smiled.

"Final Elysion!" Gallantmon's shield unleashed a devastating beam of light from its center aimed directly at Belphemon's chest. The resulting explosion left a cratering and bloody hole where the attack hit. Blood came spilling out his chest in large spurts, and dripping from his mouth in small droplets, as he fell, dying, to the red snowy ground. Breathing faintly, he slowly shifted his eyes to look at me. I stood my ground, still somewhat amazed by the fact that such a large Digimon had been defeated. I had seen him fall before, but this time, his power was at its zenith.

"Not…bad…but…you…haven't won yet," Belphemon gasped. "Don't even think…that this means…you have any hope of winning…Your hopes…are doomed…to the darkness…" Belphemon closed his eyes one final time, and disappeared. I let out a sigh of relief, picking up the spear that fell to the ground when Belphemon turned back into small bits of data.

"We…we actually got one of them," Statuedramon said.

"Yes…And now…only eleven remain," I said. "And with one gone, their power diminishes."

"So you think," said a celestial and feminine voice.

I turned around and saw a pair of glowing, golden eyes staring down at us from atop an icy slope.


	93. Elegy of Linoan

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Nymphaea Province**

"We…we actually got one of them," Statuedramon said.

"Yes…And now…only eleven remain," I said. "And with one gone, their power diminishes."

"So you think," said a celestial and feminine voice.

I turned around and saw a pair of glowing, golden eyes staring down at us from atop an icy slope.

"The fact that Belphemon has been killed…does not slow our plans down in the slightest," Lupinemon said. "Nor does said fact weaken us."

"Step back, beast!" Gallantmon said, pointing his lance at threateningly Lupinemon.

"You really want to know something _interesting_?" Lupinemon asked. "Belphemon…was actually the _weakest_ of us. Next time you decide to engage us in combat…it will not be so easy, even with one of our number deceased."

"Next time? You mean…you aren't going to fight us?" Statuedramon asked.

"Here, in this song, is gathered the emotions stirred by Arcadia's bloody history of greed and hatred," Lupinemon sang, ignoring Statuedramon. "'Twas the same history that claimed this girl's life in the midst of the futile war. Now, listen to her sad elegy…the Elegy of Linoan…" Lupinemon sat down, wailing a mournful and eerie, yet entrancing wolf's howl at the cloud-covered sky. Her singing voice was lovely, but this howling was absolutely mesmerizing. In a moment, Lupinemon was hidden from sight by a pure white gleam of light, and where she had stood was now Linoan.

"That was _you_ in that village?!" Statuedramon exclaimed.

"It seems that this poor child lost her life in that war, year 157," Linoan said, walking down the slope toward us. The voice of the Human and the Digimon were identical. "And now…she and I are one and the same. Her spirit eternally lies within me…and I am able to change my shape to match hers whenever I desire."

"What do you want with us?" I asked.

"I heard from DeathPhantomon that you escaped SkullCaliphmon's castle. How, may I ask?" Ignoring her, I drew my sword and pointed it at her chest. "…You surprise me, Human. You would really turn your weapon on me, even in this form? Would you really make this poor girl suffer _another_ death she did not deserve?"

"Your outer form is unimportant. It is who you are on the _inside_ that defines who you truly are, and not a misperception of malice."

"…Inside?"

"If you'd hold still so I can cut you open, I'd be happy to show you exactly what I mean!" I swung my blade at the woman, but missed when she jumped out of the way in a deft manner that an ordinary Human could not have done. I had to remind myself that she was still a Digimon.

"You forget…even in this form, I still have the strength of a Mega level Digimon!" Linoan said. Beneath her bare feet, cracks began to form in the ice, which went unnoticed by her. I smiled.

"It seems that _you_ have forgotten something as well," I said. "Your Human form may look small and petite…but that is all that has changed. Your Human form of Linoan seems to weigh exactly the same amount as your Digimon form of Lupinemon." Linoan looked down and noticed the rather large cracks she caused to form in the ice beneath her.

"What…do you mean?" Slowly, she stepped away from the cracked ice, but as soon as she set her foot down, more cracks began to appear. A look of horror and realization appeared on her usually emotionless face.

"I saw it when we were in Primrose Village; Zelda and Statuedramon did not produce footprints in that dirt road, but _you_ did. Linoan, or Lupinemon, or whatever the hell you want to call yourself…you are incapable of compressing your weight when you change shape, and in a place like this, atop ice that could split open at any given moment…there isn't a greater weakness to have for a shapeshifter to have than the inability to change even one _trivial_ thing about themselves." A surge of rage flashed in her eyes; she ran at me, but doing so caused the ice she stood on to crack wide open. Linoan fell into the icy crevasse, plunging deeper and deeper until she would eventually hit the saltwater of the ocean. I looked down the icy crevasse. The ocean surface couldn't even be seen, and the ice looked thinner where Linoan had stood when compared to the ice we stood on.

"…Huh…so…her being fat saved our lives," Statuedramon said.

"I just explained it, Statch; she wasn't actually fat. She just weighed as much as her Digimon form."

"But…she fell through the ice! And it wasn't exactly thin, either…" Statuedramon looked down the crevasse. "Well, anyway, she got just what she deserved for making us fall down a pitfall into SkullCaliphmon's castle like that!"

"Let's go back to the villa, shall we?" Zelda asked, clutching Hanna's spear close to her chest. "We need to tell Pheragas that we managed to defeat one of Lilithmon's allies!"

"Two, if you include Lupinemon!" Statch added.

"No, she wouldn't have died so easily," I said. "It'll take more than falling into a near-freezing ocean to kill one of them."

"Well, I bet that at least did some damage to her! Landing in water from that high up is like landing on bricks!"

"…About going back to the villa…there's something I want to do first," I said.

"Thomas, I wanna go _home_!" Statuedramon whined. "C'mon, let's get out of this frozen hellhole!"

"Where do you want to go?" Zelda asked.

"There's something I need to go do in Yew. I don't know if I'll find what I'm looking for, but I figure it's better than sitting at home and waiting for Apollomon to come back."

"Oh, all right, I'll go with you," Statch sighed.

* * *

**Yew**

**3 Days**

"…_This_ is where you wanted to go?" Statuedramon sneered. People were walking around us, not even seeming to notice our presence. All the buildings in sight were intact, save for the one we stood before.

"There's someone that's been on my mind for a while now," I replied. Ahead of us lay what was left of Braig's old laboratory. "I figure now is the best chance to try and find him, and since Braig's lab was frozen over by IceDevimon last month, it seems the only place he would be is in one of these neighboring abandoned buildings."

"Who are you looking for?" Zelda asked.

"…His name was Andromon. They had attempted to turn him into a Bio Hybrid, but they failed, and he was stuck in the Digimon form for the rest of his life. I haven't seen him since he and Flamedramon helped us escape from Adrian and Abigail, and I figured that since we're all fighting for our lives, I would try to convince him to help us."

"What if he isn't here?" she asked.

"I don't know where else he would be; I didn't know him too well. If he isn't here, we'll go home." In front of me was a building resembling a small warehouse, completely gray in color. I looked to my right, at Braig's old laboratory, still encased in the ice that showed no signs of melting anytime soon. I sighed and opened the door to the warehouse. After ensuring there was nobody immediately in sight, I walked in first, followed by Statuedramon and Zelda. The entire building was dark, with only a few windows allowing sunlight to shine through. After hearing the sound of voices, I came to a stop.

"What is it?" Statch asked.

"…I heard someone," I whispered. "…Two people…in a conversation…" I quietly walked over to where the two voices were speaking, hiding behind a door.

"…Why won't you join us?" the first voice asked.

_Sounds like…Myotismon! _I motioned for Statch and Zelda to keep quiet.

"I…have grown weary of mindlessly serving others…" another voice replied.

"Now _that's_ a good trick, seeing as you do not experience true emotions," Myotismon said. "You are a hollow shell of a Digimon, but an exceptionally powerful shell at that. Andromon, it would do us great service to have you join our ranks."

"…And? I would be receiving something in return for my services, would I not?" Andromon asked.

"What do you mean?! You aren't Human; you aren't Digimon; what could you possibly need?! You have no emotions, nor have you a mind of your own with which to make decisions!" Myotismon's voice was beginning to sound impatient. "Honestly, if we _did_ give you something, what would you do with it?!" Andromon said nothing. "You see?! You only want something in return for helping others because you think it will make you real. But you are _not_ real…you're a sham, a worthless machine, unlike our ally, Machinedramon!"

"Machinedramon…is a mechanical Digimon?" Andromon asked.

…_How can he not tell from the name?!_

"Yes, but unlike _you_, he is real," Myotismon said. "Machinedramon possess true emotions…unlike you!"

"…Why…do you keep saying that?" Andromon asked. "Repeat the same words over and over, you do, but why?"

"Why? Does it hurt your 'feelings?' Does that make you want to _cry_?" Myotismon asked. "More pain for you means more fun for me!"

"…You would…attack me?"

"What?! No! Whatever gave you _that_ idea?!"

"…I thought so…You…do not believe yourself of being strong enough to defeat me," Andromon said. "And so, strong enough to beat me, you are not—"

"Crimson Lightning!" A flash of red was all I saw, and the sound of metal hitting the floor was all I heard. "Do not misunderstand, Andromon; I will not kill you. You see…we may still have a use for you, after all. Do you…perhaps…need more convincing?"

_Okay, I'm done hiding! Nobody threatens MY friends and gets away with it!_ I ran out of the shadows, quietly and unnoticed, and struck Myotismon in the back of his right shoulder with my blade. Myotismon turned his head around, glaring at me.

"_You_ again…" Myotismon grabbed the tip of my sword that protruded from his chest and pushed it out his back. "I am _not_ in the mood to fight _you three_ again!"

"Well, I'm more than ready to fight you," I said. "What better way to celebrate Belphemon's death than by murdering one of his allies?"

"…Belphemon? He's dead?" I said nothing, and smirked at the Ultimate Digimon. "Okay…have it your way." Myotismon waved his hand in the air, and a thin wall of gold-colored flames leaped up from the floor between us. "If it were any other time, I'd be more than happy to fight, but now, I must take my leave of you!" A blast of red lightning struck the wall, and Myotismon flew out, leaving his wall of flames to extinguish upon his exit.

"Thomas…encountered you in a while, have I not," Andromon said, walking up to me. "You've been well, I trust?"

"Andromon, what happened to you?" I asked. "The last time I saw you, you and Flamedramon were fighting off the Bio Hybrids, and I haven't seen you since!"

"Major events…occur, did they not," Andromon said. "Defeated the Bio Hybrids with ease, we did, and afterwards, Flamedramon departed for areas unknown to me. I remained here, for I have a place none better to go to after the laboratory was encased in ice."

"…Well, I'm glad you're okay," I said. "Andromon, I've got a favor to ask of you—"

"Wish to request my aid, do you?" I nodded. "And my aid you shall have…most likely."

"Most likely? What do you mean?"

"Not sure, I am…but say this, I will," Andromon said. "Seek out Wisemon, you should. If you truly wish to defeat those Digimon, Wisemon will know of a way."

"Wisemon…do you know where he lives?"

"…Right next door. How else would I know about him?"

"Right…well…I'll go pay Wisemon a visit, then," I said. "Is there…anything I should know about him before I go to see him?"

"…Very thorough in his explanations, he either is or is not," Andromon said. "Depending on the question you ask…you may get more than what you needed…or not enough."

"Okay…well, I'll just…go visit him, then…" I turned to look behind me; Zelda and Statuedramon both nodded, though Zelda did so more happily and with a smile, as opposed to Statuedramon, who did so more reluctantly.


	94. Wisemon the Seer

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Yew**

"So, this is where Wisemon lives, huh?" Statuedramon asked, eyeing the house before us. Compared to the other houses on this street, this one was rather small. "When Andromon said next door, I didn't think he…literally…meant…the house right next to that warehouse he was in…"

"How many other ways could he have meant it?" I asked. I reached up and knocked on the house's front door, which opened immediately. A pair of yellow, glowing eyes peeked out from behind the door.

"You…I had a vision of your arrival…"

"Are you Wisemon?" I asked.

"Yes! Yes, I am! Please, come in, won't you?" The door opened wider, and the tall Digimon gestured for us to come into his house. When we entered, the first, and only, things we saw were books. Piles and piles of books, shelves crammed against each other against the wall, with each shelf crammed to bursting with more and more books. The only things in sight that weren't a book or a bookshelf were a small round table and a single wooden chair. "So, you've come to learn of a way to defeat Lilithmon once and for all, correct?" Wisemon's face could not be seen, but from his tone of voice, I was certain that he would be smiling ear to ear.

"Yes, sir, we would all greatly appreciate any information you would be willing to give us," Zelda said.

"Well, to tell you the truth, young lady…I'm afraid I don't know for sure a way to get rid of her," Wisemon said, sitting down.

"You don't?! Then why are we here if you don't know a way?!" Statuedramon yelled. I placed a hand on his shoulder to attempt to calm him down.

"I said I didn't know _for sure_, with emphasis on the 'for sure,' indicating that I have knowledge of a way that _could_ defeat her and her allies, but a way that I am unsure of being fully accurate."

"…Well, could you tell us anyway?" I asked. "Any information we could get on them would be incredibly useful, and very much appreciated."

"It would be an honor to do so, Thomas Kasuto."

My eyes widened, and I felt my heartbeat quicken._ He…knows my last name? Victoria's…_

"But it would make sense if I tell you their entire story," Wisemon said. "You haven't been told the story of each of their demises, correct?"

"No, sir," Zelda said.

"Then it would be best for me to tell you," Wisemon said. He tapped a pencil on his table and looked up at us. "As you know, Lilithmon and her eleven friends make up a group called the Order of the Enchantress. Each member is an incredibly powerful, deadly, and evil Digimon, each with a power unique to only them as individuals, as opposed to species. Each member was targeted by a member of the Celestial Vanguard, led by Seraphimon."

"We already know this!" Statuedramon said impatiently.

"It is always easiest to begin at the beginning," Wisemon said patiently. "Most of the members of the Celestial Vanguard had a weapon; for example, Neptunemon with his trident that young lady is holding on to." Wisemon pointed at Zelda, and she held up the lance that was in her lap.

"When I stuck it into Belphemon's leg, he was thrashing around in agony, more so than a lance this size should have done to a Digimon as large as he was," I said.

"That is because…after their _first_ deaths, the members of the Order developed something akin to a weakness to the weapons of the Vanguard, and anything affiliated with them, including abilities like fire, or even descendants of the one who killed them," Wisemon said.

"A weakness? To a certain weapon?" I asked. "What do you mean?"

"Belphemon was taken down by Neptunemon's sentient spear, King's Bite. As such, he developed a weakness not to spears, but to _that_ spear. The fact that it caused him such pain proves that that lance is, without any shadow of a doubt, Neptunemon's spear. Even if the weapon has become reforged into a different weapon altogether, or even if it were not a weapon at all, it will still cause them intense, agonizing pain when struck by it."

"That's…incredible," Zelda said breathlessly.

"So, all we need to do is find all those weapons, and we'll be set!" Statuedramon said.

"That…_may_ work. But remember; not _all_ of the members of the Vanguard carried a weapon; take Apollomon, for example," Wisemon said. "Anyway…Lucemon was the first of them to be defeated. His opponent was a Digimon known as Crusadermon, who also happens to be…the mother of your friend, Dianamon."

"_Dianamon_?! She's the daughter of one of them?!" Statch exclaimed.

"Yes…she never told you, it seems," Wisemon said. "No one seems to know where Crusadermon went, but I do know for sure that she is still alive. Either her or Dianamon would be capable of flawlessly destroying Lucemon again."

"But…we don't know where Dianamon is, either," I said. "She was with Apollomon and BlackGaomon, and they still haven't returned home yet…"

"The next to be lost was SkullCaliphmon. As you know, the one to defeat him was—"

"SlashAngemon, we know," Statch interrupted. "But…SlashAngemon is dead now, and I don't think he ever had—"

"SkullCaliphmon is among the stronger members," Wisemon continued. "He is immortal, but only in the light of the moon, and only within his castle."

"But…looking back, the part of the castle we were in had no roof," I said.

"Yes…I do not believe his castle has one…anywhere. You'll just have to find a way to fight him when he isn't exposed to the moon's light, but even so, he won't be an easy opponent; his sword created thin blades of air that strike as fast and powerfully as a hurricane."

"And his castle has all those traps in it," I said. "We'll have to be careful with him…"

"Horusmon was the next to go, when he was defeated at the hands of MirageGaogamon," Wisemon said. "As was the case with Crusadermon, nobody is sure where he is, nor does he appear to have any descendants like Crusadermon did."

"Meaning we'll have to defeat Horusmon all by ourselves again," Statuedramon said.

"Horusmon is extremely versatile; not only are his attacks immensely destructive, but he is also incredibly fast, enabling him to dodge most attacks — and the few attacks that do hit him, he is capable of rendering useless with his healing attack."

"So…we'll need to hit him hard and fast," I said. "Just like Deckerdramon told us…"

"The next was Machinedramon, who was felled by EmperorGreymon," Wisemon continued. "Like Neptunemon, he gave up fighting, and gave his sword away to be recreated for someone else. Nothing is known about his current location. Machinedramon himself is a tireless machine, capable of running nonstop for all eternity…and unless he is stopped, he will not stop destroying everything in his line of sight."

"Well, we'll just _make_ him stop, then!" Statuedramon said.

"That's the spirit," Wisemon said. "The next one was DeathPhantomon, and as you were told, he was defeated by a Flamedramon, evidently of no relation to the one you are all familiar with, from what I am able to see. If, by some miracle, you find Flamedramon, then DeathPhantomon will be no problem."

"But…we already _did_ find him," Zelda said. "And…DeathPhantomon sealed him in an eternal nightmare…"

"Once DeathPhantomon is defeated, all those afflicted by his curse and his darkness will return," Wisemon said. "Oh…but…you need him in order to defeat DeathPhantomon…well…this is certainly puzzling…"

"If his necklace is destroyed then he will die," I said.

"…He will? I…I didn't know that," Wisemon said.

"DeathPhantomon told me himself while I was conning a little information out of him."

"…Information that I didn't know…how utterly FASCINATING!" Wisemon exclaimed. "Oh, I'm going to need to write this down, and—"

"Wisemon!"

"Wha—? Oh, yes…anyway, Generalmon was defeated next at the hands of Omnimon," Wisemon said. "Omnimon…is in this very city."

"Seriously?! Where is he?!" Statch asked.

"He is presently guarding the royal family of Yew, the king, queen, and their children. It will be impossible to ask for him to leave and help you; he wasn't the sort to do so voluntarily, even at the request of others in the Celestial Vanguard, so help from him could never be expected."

"Isn't there any way we could convince him?" I asked. "Surely, if he knew the situation—"

"He did back then, and he didn't help," Wisemon said. "Well, he did, but only because Generalmon went to him, and he merely did his duty of protecting the royal family. Generalmon fled all the way to Acacia, but Omnimon hunted him down and killed him. It was quite easy for him, really; shame he doesn't associate with anyone outside that family…"

"Well, I'll _make_ him—"

"NO! Do _not_ ask him for help!" Wisemon said, interrupting Statch. "Doing so…can often times create a more perilous situation than the problem that requires his assistance…unless you're the princess of this province; Omnimon's always had a bit of a soft spot for the royal ladies, no matter the temperament…"

"…Then…maybe if I—" Zelda began.

"No, pretending to be a princess would not help," Wisemon said, interrupting her. "He would know right away, and he may even attack you." Zelda looked down at the floor in embarrassment. "Anyway, about Generalmon…his armor is tough, but not impenetrable. If, by some miracle, you are able to chip parts of it away, then you may have an advantage."

"Challenge accepted," Statuedramon said.

"Next was Lupinemon, who was done in by MetalGarurumon. Again, nothing is known of his whereabouts, or if he has any living descendents or not."

"She fell into an icy crevasse into the ocean in Nymphaea a few days ago," Statch said. "Is it safe to assume that that killed her?"

"No."

"I told you," I said.

"Each song she howls in her Digimon form, or plays on the flute in her Human form, has a different effect. The unpredictability of what she may do makes her as dangerous as any of the others, but she is not without limitations. If she can be worn out, then it may be possible to subdue her."

"Shouldn't be _that_ hard to outrun a fat girl," Statch snorted.

"As Thomas explained three days ago, Linoan wasn't fat, but merely—" Zelda began.

"Incapable of compressing her data, I know…"

"The next to go would be Hydramon, who was taken out by a Digimon called Susanoomon. Like most of the others, nothing is known about where he might be, but it is possible one of his swords is among us today."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Rumor has it his single blade split itself into as many as ten during his battle against Hydramon to combat the beast's many heads. Apparently, most of the swords were lost, but some say that two remain in existence; one red, and one blue. Some say that when one of these blades is swung…a powerful storm would make itself known somewhere on the continent, as if their very existence upsets nature. Perhaps this is why there is a perpetual blizzard in Nymphaea? I shall have to make note of this…"

_A storm…could it be—?!_

"Hydramon used to be an Orochimon, didn't he?" Zelda asked. Wisemon nodded. "Shouldn't he have more than three heads?"

"Yes…but, upon reaching the Mega level, it seems that each of his previously fake heads have gained a mind of their own. As such, when too many are present, they all begin to bicker and squabble. I'm certain you can make use out of that particular weakness."

"I fully intent to," I said.

"Myotismon was next; the one to defeat him was a Digimon called Beowulfmon. Again, nothing is known of his whereabouts, or if he has any descendents willing to assist us, so it seems that you will have to deal with Myotismon on your own. Like others of his species, he has control of a large number of bats which suck the blood clean out of their victims. Between them, his red lightning, and his special golden flames, Myotismon will not be an easy opponent."

"Nobody ever said this _would_ be easy," Zelda said.

"Aside from Lilithmon, the last one to die was Belphemon, but as he is already dead, I do not believe it necessary to go into detail about him."

"Wisemon…what about Cherubimon?" I asked.

"Cherubimon…he was never killed," Wisemon said. "That was supposed to be Apollomon's job, but from what I've heard, Cherubimon managed to escape him. Even if you are ever able to find him, Cherubimon does not suffer the same weakness the others do, as he was never killed." I sighed.

"That…leaves Lilithmon…" I said.

"Lilithmon…the mastermind behind all these events," Wisemon said, shaking his head. "She was supposedly killed by Seraphimon, but in truth…she killed herself instead. Therefore, like Cherubimon, she does not share the other's weakness. Her right claw can decay and erode away anything it touches. Lilithmon herself is capable of manipulating space to her advantage. DeathPhantomon aside, Lilithmon is easily the most dangerous and powerful of the Order, even if she is to be fought last."

"She used to be Ophanimon, didn't she?" Zelda asked. "Maybe…we could use that to our advantage? Maybe even convince her to—"

"Don't count on anything like that working," Wisemon interrupted. "Her heart has been in the darkness for too long now…even Seraphimon could not bring her back to the way she was beforehand. As for using her past life to your own advantage, don't; Lilithmon flies into an unspeakable rage when reminded of her life as Ophanimon by anyone other than Cherubimon."

"We defeated her last time, though," Statuedramon said. "Dynasmon killed her in a single attack, too!"

"Killed…yes. But destroyed? No."

"What do you mean?"

"She was killed and sent to the Dark Area twice; once five hundred years ago, and again last month. But, she was able to come back. This time…she _must_ be _destroyed_…something which Digimon Spirits are incapable of doing. Lilithmon must be permanently destroyed at the hands of the living, lest she continue to return and poison Arcadia with her evil."

"…I'll do it," I said.

"Are you feeling up to the challenge?" Wisemon asked.

"I don't really have a choice, do I? Lilithmon must be destroyed…so I shall be the one to do it."

"…I see. I am beginning to understand just the kind of person you are, Thomas," Wisemon said. "That is…all the information I have for you, I'm afraid."

"I understand. Thank you for all your information, Wisemon," I said.

"Where will you go now?" Wisemon asked.

"…If we're going to fight against the Order of then Enchantress…then there's something I need to go get," I said. "It should be here in the city."

"I wish you luck in your journey," Wisemon said. "May the grace of the Goddess smile down on you and all those helping you in this quest."


	95. Sword of the Storm

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Yew**

**20 Minutes**

_Here lies Victoria,_

_A mother and swordswoman without peer._

_Her beauty was matched only by that of her own heart._

I stared down unblinkingly at the grave that lay before me, just outside the military HQ that had burned down during Apollomon's fight against BioBlackWarGreymon. Atop it lay a sheathed blade that had belonged to Victoria. Zelda placed a hand over my shoulder, snapping me out of my trance.

"…It's…so hard to believe," Statuedramon said quietly. "I really thought…she'd be staying with us forever in Lachesis…"

"Well, she's not, okay?" I bent down and picked up her sword.

"…What made you think to get her sword?" Zelda asked.

"…Something happened to me…not long after I started training with her," I said.

"You mean about the time your leg got injured?" Statuedramon asked. I nodded.

"What happened?" Zelda asked quietly.

"…It happened when we were training, in Valneva Province."

"We're almost done. Just a few more," _Victoria said._

"…Yes, mother."

"Mother…no need to be so formal, Tommy," _Victoria laughed._ "You can…call me mom…or mommy…" _I held on tight to the sword she had given to me for my training. I carefully eyed the row of empty wine bottles sitting atop a wood fence. I swung once. At first, I thought I had missed, but… "_Tommy…you…you really did it!" _I had cleanly sliced through the five bottles, without any of them shattering. It had taken me many, many attempts; I had lost count of how many._ "Oh, I'm so proud of you!"_ She picked me up, and hugged me. It was very tight; I couldn't even breathe. But she was so warm, and it had been a particularly cold day, so I didn't complain._ "Just wait 'til Statch hears about this; he'll be _so_ jealous!" _She placed me down, and gazed into my eyes._ "You've gotten so…skilled…in such a short amount of time."_ She was crying tears of joy. At the time, I didn't understand why she had gotten so emotional, but now I know…I was the same age as her son…Michalis._ "Oh, wait right here! I'll go get him!"

_Victoria ran off, leaving me alone with five broken bottles of wine and a sword. I sat down on the fence, and I waited. I waited for about ten minutes, but still, she did not return. I sighed, and stood up. I looked up at the sky. I felt the temperature of the air rise steadily. I picked up my sword, and looked around. Nothing. A surge of flames rushed out from the forest and surrounded me. It was a lounge of Flarerizamon. They didn't speak; they barely even stopped moving. One of them lunged out at me, and tore into my right leg with his claws. I fell to the ground. My leg was bleeding heavily, and the wound from the Flarerizamon's claws burned; it felt like my entire leg was on fire. The flames closed in on me…which was when Victoria returned. She hit a Flarerizamon from behind, and instantly killed it. They all turned to face her. Two of them ran off, but four remained behind. They all rushed at her; she swung her blade, and killed another. She tried to attack the other three, but they had backed away, and they began attacking her from a distance. She wasn't able to fight back as well as it seems she would have been able to, and she seemed like she was having trouble anticipating where they would attack. Another attack grazed past her leg, and she fell. The three Flarerizamon surrounded her, and out of desperation, she swung her sword…and all of a sudden, it began to rain. Neither of us knew what had happened; the sky was clear only moments before, but as soon as she swung her blade, a heavy deluge poured down on the Flarerizamon while the sword began to glow. With the three Digimon subdued, she ran and sliced through them, and killed them. As soon as they disappeared, the rain cleared up. We looked up at the sky; it was clear once again, as if it had never rained._

"It wasn't until Wisemon described Susanoomon's blades, what they could do, that I remembered what had happened on that day," I said.

"You think this could be one of Susanoomon's two swords?" Statuedramon asked.

"Who knows? It may have just been a coincidence," I said. "But…if I don't at least try, then we'll never know." I looked down at the lone grave. "I'm sorry…Victoria…but I'm going to need to borrow this. I hope you don't mind…"

"She wouldn't have," Statuedramon said. "She would…be glad to help us in a time like this…right?"

"…Yeah…she would…" I let out a long sigh, giving the grave one final look before turning around and walking over to a pair of graves nearby. "…This…is where Saias and Lector are…right?"

"Yeah, Saias's is right there," Statuedramon said, reaching a hand into the mouth design on his shield and pulling a sword out. "Here you go."

Taking the sword, I gently placed it down atop Saias's grave. "..They…may not have been allies at the very end of it all…but they were still our friends," I said. "Saias…who allowed us to stay in his house, even after his death, and Lector…he was the one to bury Victoria here…"

"We'll stop them," Zelda said. "For Saias, Lector, and Victoria's sakes…and for Anna, and Neptunemon, too…"

"…Shall we get going, then?" I asked. "Let's go home; Pheragas and the others must be getting impatient by now…"

* * *

**Saias's Villa**

**20 Minutes**

"So, Belphemon's really gone," Luna said absently. All of us sat around the living room.

"And Neptunemon is gone as vell," Pheragas added. He sighed gruffly, running his fingers across the blade of his axe. "And Apollomon still has not returned to us…"

"Damn it, where _are_ they?!" Statuedramon asked.

"Maybe…do you think they're fighting against the Order of the Enchantress without us?" Zelda asked.

"I find that unlikely," I said. "Everything we heard from Wisemon, Apollomon knows. There's no way…he would do this without the help of his friends…"

"But Dianamon, BlackGaomon, and maybe even Seraphimon are all with Mr. Apollomon," Chrysania said. "There's no way anything really _really_ bad would happen to Mr. Apollomon _that_ way!"

"So, vut do ve do now?" Pheragas asked. "Do ve vait? Or do ve disobey and take action?" With an unfamiliar unease, I noticed that the large man was looking at me.

"Why are you staring at me, Pheragas?"

"We want you to make that decision for us, Thomas," Luna said.

I took a step back. "What?! Why me?! You and Pheragas have been here longer, either of you two should be the one to—"

"The two of us have talked it over, and we just feel like you're better suited than us for being in charge until Apollomon returns." Luna, sitting on a couch opposite from me, smiled and winked at me. I looked over at Pheragas, who nodded reassuringly at me.

"Ve ah at a loss of vut to do vitout a leader," Pheragas said. "I…am incapable at making a rational decision in a critical situation…"

"Strategic planning isn't really my thing," Luna shrugged. "Soooo….I'm all for letting our Assassin boss us around."

"Chrissy has faith in you, Tommy!" Chrysania said eagerly, smiling doe-eyed at me in the manner a younger sister would.

"This is…all very sudden," I said. I looked at everyone in the room and into their eyes. All of them truly seemed all for having me as their leader.

"Ve vould have told you earlier, but you vere gone for so long," Pheragas said.

"You've got a crafty mind, buddy," Statuedramon said. "Remember when you tricked DeathPhantomon into revealing his weaknesses to you? That was…amazing…especially if you consider that DeathPhantomon himself is supposed to be a highly intelligent Digimon. You're always the one Zelda and I come to when we want to know what to do; it's gotten to where I do this without thinking, but now that Pheragas mentions it…you do seem to be the leader of our little threesome. We…need someone like you to guide us until Apollomon returns."

"No, not someone like him," Zelda said. "It has to be _exactly_ him. I have faith in you, Thomas."

"Go ahead...give me my _hard, strict orders_, Mr. Boss Man," Luna said teasingly.

"Tell us vut ve vill be doing vile vaiting for Apollomon," Pheragas said. "Do ve go after Lilithmon or not?"

"So…whatever I decide to do is what everyone is fine with doing, right?" I asked.

"Well, if you suggest something that would put Chrysania in danger, I'm afraid I would have to refuse," Luna said. "I might even curse you."

"Just give us guidance," Statuedramon said. "Tell us what to do."

I looked up and said, "…Okay. The only member of the Order that we can account for is SkullCaliphmon, in his desert castle. He is immortal under the light of the moon, but only while he stands inside his castle, which is filled with traps. We need some way to lure him out…"

"He doesn't seem very bright; maybe we can just trick him out," Statch suggested.

"Well, we can't go now; by the time we get there, it'll be night. That would make it harder for us to trick him out."

"So, ve should go at night?" Pheragas asked. "Ven ve get dare, it vill be day; is dat vut you ah saying?"

"It would take a little more than a day to get to Primrose Village from here…It's late afternoon right now…We wouldn't have enough time to trick him out of his castle if we left now. Furthermore, we don't know our way around the castle, and if we got lost in there, we might never get out. Maybe we ought to wait until Apollomon returns before going after him…What do you think, Statch?"

"Thomas, _you're_ the one in charge, remember?" Luna asked.

"…In that case…We wait…see what develops. If nothing happens in a week's time…if Apollomon has not returned within that time…we will go to SkullCaliphmon's castle. That should give us enough time to think of a plan of how to proceed with going about in his castle."

"Dat is a good plan," Pheragas said. "I knew you vould make a good leader."

"Well, I'm not so sure about that," I said.

"You want us to wait, right? That's what we'll do, then," Luna said. "It is always better to wait and think of a strategy like you suggested than to foolishly rush in and get us all killed. That's why _you_ were chosen, Thomas, and not Statuedramon."

"Hey!"

"Oh, come on, Statuedramon; even _you_ have to admit that you do that," Luna said.

"No, not that," Statch said. "I…felt the ground shaking…"

"…No, not again…" Cautiously, I stepped outside onto the villa's porch; far away on the horizon, I made out the figure of Hydramon slowly getting closer and closer. "Hydramon's here!" Statuedramon and Zelda ran up behind me just as the Mega Digimon stepped onto the front lawn.

"Hey, you guys are looking lively," Hydramon said. His three heads, all with eyes glowing yellow, looked down at me, tongues flickering occasionally, giving me an idea.

"…Rumor has it all of you heads aren't on the best of terms," I said.

"I'll have you know that we are all the best of friends!" Hydramon's right head said.

"Shut up; _I_ do all the talking!" the center head yelled.

"How did someone like you get to be one of the most deadly Digimon in the history of Arcadia?" I asked.

"I'd bet he can't even fight," Statuedramon said. "They'd be too busy arguing to do any damage!"

"You shouldn't judge us by how we heads interact with one another," Hydramon said. I sighed.

"…Do you know what this is?" I asked, holding up Victoria's sword.

"Ach, that is most definitely a sword, ya moron, ya!" Hydramon's left head said.

"This is the sword that once belonged to my mother, Victoria, before she…before she was murdered," I said. "This sword…is one of the two remaining swords from your fight with Susanoomon." The three heads flinched backward, eyeing the sword with fear.

"…Yeah, that's one of them, all right; I can tell from its stench," Hydramon's right head said.

"I told yeh we shouldn't a' come!" the left head said.

"Oi, I'm not in the mood for this," the right head sighed. "The other heads thought I'd be best to go up…right. Oi, 'd they ever pick the wrong head for this one, then…"

"Are you going to talk or fight?" Statuedramon asked. "I bet you're all scared; not that I blame you, having to fight someone using the same weapon that killed you five hundred years ago."

"…Silence, Rookie," Hydramon's center head spat in an eerily calm manner. "Lernaean Inferno!"

_All right; here's my chance!_ All three of Hydramon's heads reared up, with orange flames rising up from their mouths. I eyed each of them quickly and carefully as I jumped up, taking a swing at one of the heads with Victoria's sword. The stricken head, the one on the right, coughed up flames as blood came spilling out the wound I inflicted. The other two halted their attacked and looked to see what was happening as I swung again, lopping off the head completely and watching it fall to the ground in a dead, bloody heap as blood poured out his open neck. The center head, which was the largest one and the one with the darkest scales, peered over at me as I wiped the blood from my sword. He almost seemed to be grinning.

"Don't think this automatically means I've lost," Hydramon said. "I've six more heads for you to deal with before I die for good!"

"Den allow me to help!" Pheragas's huge axe flew through the air and struck Hydramon's left head, cutting through it in a single, clean motion, and both weapon and head hit the ground at the same time. Hydramon's remaining head quickly looked over at Pheragas as he walked over to his axe and picked it up out of the puddle of blood.

"How did you do that?!" Hydramon asked. "How could a mere _Human_ with a _regular_ weapon cut through my scales so easily?! The kid with Susanoomon's sword, I can understand, but _this_?! Are you—"

"Dis is noting more dan an ordinary axe," Pheragas said. "And I am noting more dan an ordinary man."

"An ordinary man who can tear a tree out of the earth with his bare hands!" Statuedramon said proudly.

"Statuedramon, I keep telling you, dat was not a tree," Pheragas sighed. "Dat was…oh, never mind…" Pheragas and I looked at the huge Mega as a crackling sound resonated through the air, as if from a fire. In the blink of an eye, four more heads popped out around Hydramon's remaining head.

"Oh, thank the _Goddess_ those two are dead," one of the heads said. "I couldn't take much more of their bitching!"

"Like you're one to talk!" another head sneered.

"Yeah, that's all we hear from _you_, after all!" a third head spoke up.

"Now, don't you two start acting like you're all innocent in all of this!" the first head snapped.

"WILL YOU ALL SHUT UP?!" Hydramon's center head shouted. "AND YOU — WAKE UP!" the fourth and final head, which was drooped over the center head, shot straight up and looked around with half-open eyes.

"Aw, why'd you have to wake me?" the head asked. "I was having such a nice dream…"

"You can sleep all you want after we burn _them_!"

"Don't you dare go tellin' us what to do, now!" the second head said.

"Well, let's get started, shall we?" I whispered to Statch.

"No, I wanna keep watching them; this is kinda funny," Statuedramon said.

"Statuedramon…I _order_ you to help me and Pheragas murder him."

"Fine, fine…"

"And me." I turned and saw that behind me stood Vajramon, with Zelda holding his Talisman close beside him. Next to her was Luna, shrouded in a golden light that obscured her body from view.

"We're ready to help you with this," Luna said.

"Lernaean Inferno!" With all of his heads facing a different direction, Hydramon spewed out limitless amounts of orange flames from his mouths in every direction.

"What the…he's not even _aiming_ at us!" Statuedramon said.

"You're right," I said. "He knows he doesn't have much longer to live, so he's just destroying as much as he can before he goes." Hydramon's flames burned through nearly everything around us; the lawn, the trees, even the pavement.

"If he had any sense of accuracy, he'd have hit our house," Statch said.

"I'll stop him before he gets that far," Luna said. "Freezing Blizzard!" A chilling breeze escaped from Luna's hands, freezing over four of Hydramon's heads. The fire he had produced also suffered the same fate, freezing before shattering. Vajramon subsequently swung his two swords, firing off a Deva Blade which hit two of the heads, causing them to shatter as well.

"No! My brothers!" Hydramon looked on in horror as Statuedramon and Pheragas struck down two more of his heads until only his one, center head was left. My fingers tightened around the hilt of Victoria's sword as I looked up at the enormous beast. The Digimon stared back, eyeing me carefully and with great spite in his eyes. "Herculean Slicer!" Hydramon's tail shot down, striking my own sword just as I had begun to raise it higher.

"I wonder…how much longer will you last against _this_ sword?" I asked. I glanced up, noticing the sky was beginning to darken as thick clouds hastened to cover it. _Looks like the rumors about this sword were true._

"I don't care!" Hydramon snapped. His voice was shaking from exhaustion, and it was reflected in his face as he continued to struggle against my sword. "You…you killed my brothers! You murdered Belphemon! You will _all_ be destroyed!"

"…I guess there's no avoiding it." With a small effort, I pushed harder against Hydramon's tail, slicing clear through it. The blade tip hit the ground in a puddle of blood. When Hydramon noticed, his face went blank with shock as I jumped up, aiming my sword at his final head.

"N—no way…" Hydramon howled. He roared in pain as I cut through the last head, separating it from his body. Both hit the ground, and both dissolved into nothingness. At that instant, rain began to fall from the sky, washing away the blood from the grass.

"…That's two down," I said to myself, wiping Hydramon's blood off Victoria's sword with my bare hands.

"Meaning dare ah ten left," Pheragas pondered.

"And one more; Sephyrus is still working with them," Statch added. "He might be just as dangerous as DeathPhantomon with his ability to turn into whoever he wants."

"What now, Mr. Boss Man?" Luna asked.

"I believe it would still be best if we wait until Apollomon returns before we act," I said. "But our plan remains the same; if he does not return within a week's time, we will go after SkullCaliphmon, and during that time spent waiting, we will continue thinking of a plan." I looked south, in the direction of the desert. _Just wait, SkullCaliphmon…we _will_ put an end to you and the others._

* * *

**SkullCaliphmon**

**Cyprus Desert**

**2 Hours**

I sat atop my sand and dust covered throne…as usual. I looked around my castle; sunlight shone through where the roof would be had I not demolished it ages ago, filling the room with its bright, nauseatingly luminous gleam. Oh, how I hated the sunlight…in that regard, I reminded myself of Myotismon. However, I needed the moon's light to remain immortal, so this was a sacrifice that I was more than willing to make. I lifted my head and sighed. _Man…I'm bored outta my _skull_ just sitting here! But…I can't leave; what if they find me wandering around outside the castle? I won't be immortal…and they could very easily…no, what am I thinking? There's no way a few _Humans_ could defeat the Skeleton King!_ Lost in my thoughts, I failed to hear the footsteps of someone or something approaching me.

"I'm glad I was able to find you, your grace." Had I a heart, it would have leapt out of my chest in surprise. Surprise and…happiness, I suppose you could say, upon recognizing the voice that had spoken.

"T…Tactimon? Tactimon…that is you, is it not?"

"Your grace, it has been far too long since our last meeting," Tactimon said, kneeling before me. "Forgive me…I should have been at your side when you fought SlashAngemon all those years ago."

"Don't worry yourself about it, Tactimon," I said. "So…what have you been doing these past five hundred years?"

"I have done nothing more than hone my skill with my blade, all while awaiting your return," Tactimon said. "I knew you would be back someday, your grace, and it was only recently that I learned of your return. I knew this would be where you would come, so I came here as fast as I could when I heard of your arrival from the Dark Area."

"How…noble of you, Tactimon," I said.

"It was the least I could do for you, your grace. I would do anything you ask of me. You know that."

"…Yes, I do. Tactimon…there are a few people attempting to keep us from keeping our freedom," I said. "We deserve our freedom as much as they, and yet, they are trying mercilessly to take it from us."

"They will be stopped!" Tactimon said indignantly, standing straight up.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" A tall and Human-shaped Digimon flew down through my open roof, landing next to Tactimon.

"Myotismon…what may I help you with?" I asked.

"Oh, surely you've heard?" Myotismon asked. "About Belphemon and Hydramon?"

"…What about them?"

"Seems like you haven't been told yet. SkullCaliphmon…both Belphemon and Hydramon are dead."

"_What_?!" I jabbed my sword into the ground.

"Belphemon was killed a few days ago by those Humans, and Hydramon fell a mere few hours ago."

"…This…is not good," I said. "They're killing us off too quickly for us to retaliate, and with each death, the rest of us grow weaker…"

"You're right. They need to be dealt with," Myotismon mused. "But how…?"

"…Myotismon…do you think you would be capable of finishing them off?" I asked. "Horusmon told me their leader and Seraphimon were buried in a landslide in the Black Rose Mountains. Do you think you could—"

"I would be honored," Myotismon said.

_Heh. Guess the kid still looks up to me. Flattering._

"SkullCaliphmon, I will not let you down," Myotismon said. "In a few days' time, both those Humans and Yew will fall!"

"Yew? Why Yew?"

"I have to do _something_ to get their attention, don't I?" Myotismon shrugged. "Those Humans…just thinking about them makes my blood boil!"

"Yes. Let your anger grow…let it strike like lightning. Leave nothing of them."

"I fully intend to."


	96. Welcome to my Nightmare

**Flamedramon**

My eyes opened, slowly at first. Cautiously, I looked around; no matter which way I turned, there was nothing but blackness. And yet, when I looked down, I could see myself as clear as day. _What's going on? What is this place? I…was attacked by DeathPhantomon…Did I die?_ My entire body ached all over, so I was fairly certain I was still alive. A flame twisted around my arm, but still, I could not see anything. I could hear someone running behind me; I turned around and saw a young boy toward me. His hair seemed rather long for his age — he looked to be close to ten years of age — and his face…I nearly fainted when I saw it. _That…that's…me! Back when I was a Human!_ I turned to completely face they boy. _What the hell is going on?! If that is me…then chasing me would be…_ I knelt down as the boy continued running toward me, and yet, he did not stop. He kept running and running…until he ran right through me. "…I see. So this is…a dream…right?"

Coming into sight now was a huge, angry mob consisting of various Humans and Digimon. Subconsciously, I launched a stream of flames at the approaching mob, and yet, as I anticipated, they passed right through the flames unsinged. I watched in awe as person after person ran right past me or through me, not seeming to notice me at all. In no time, the entire mob had run past me, relentlessly pursuing the boy, and I was left alone in the dark silence, pondering what had just happened…if it really _had_ happened.

"It is because you carry the mark that you are treated this way." I turned around, and once again, I nearly fainted; standing behind me was myself once again, only this time…

"You…why do you look like me?! Who are you?!" I asked.

"I am Flamedramon…as you are."

"What is this? What is going on?!"

"It is because of _me_ you carry the mark."

"What do you mean?! Are you telling me that I must blame myself for that accursed mark?!"

"…Let's follow after them, shall we?" Without warning, both of us lifted up in the air, and flew in the direction the mob had run. In the blink of an eye, the dark scenery changed to that of a city. The two of us were on the ground.

"I'm so glad you came here, John," a young girl's voice said below us. "It gets lonely, not having any friends to talk to."

_That girl…that's—!_

"I'm glad I came here too, Abby," my past self said to the girl. "I promise to always treasure the time I spend in this city with you.

…_Abigail…When she was a child…By the Goddess, she's adorable!_ The young Abigail smiled at my Human self. She wore a simple grey dress, and had her long, blonde hair tied back in a ponytail. _So…this is Cyclamen City…_

"What do you mean? Are you going somewhere?" young Abigail asked.

"…I have to leave this place soon, Abby," John said.

"What? Why? We're friends, aren't we? Or did I…" Abigail looked down to the ground. "Did I make you mad?"

"No. You could never make me mad, Abby," John said. "People from my home village, Iris, are chasing me. That's why I came here, Abby; to hide."

"…Why are they chasing you?"

"Because…I carry the Mark." My younger self took off his traveling gloves and rolled up his sleeves. "This…is why they are chasing me." John held up his arm, showing Abigail the Marked's symbol on his left forearm. Abigail looked at the mark with a shocked expression.

"_You_ have that too?!"

"…What do you mean _too_?! Abby…" Abigail lifted up her dress, revealing that she too had the Marked's symbol on her stomach, just above her navel.

"N—no way! You carry this cursed mark?!" My younger self reached over and gently brushed his fingers across Abigail's belly, feeling the mark just after feeling his own. "It's real…Abby…"

"We're the same, you and I," Abigail said, letting her dress back down. "We…we belong together, don'tcha think?"

John's face had gone completely pale, his eyes wide with fear. "…I shouldn't have come here," he said, walking away from Abigail. "Abby…there is no reason for you to involve yourself with someone like me."

"John, what are you talking about?" Abigail asked. "John…c'mon, John! Let me stay with you!"

"No. I told you; we shouldn't have been together for as long as we had!" John began to run away, but Abigail grabbed his arm. "Those people that were chasing me; they chase me because of this mark. They're out to kill me, Abby; don't you understand that if you stay with me, then they'll kill you, too?!"

"John, please! Don't leave me alone here! I don't want to be left alone in this place!" Abigail begged tearfully, clinging tighter to John's arm.

"Let GO!" John shoved his elbow into Abigail's ribs, making the girl fall to the ground. "And don't even _think_ about following me! I…I hate you, Abigail!"

"But…John…" It was too late for her to speak; John was long gone. "I…I love you…" Tears fell from her eyes, wetting the ground as she cried out, more from sadness than from the pain of being shoved.

All of this happened right before my eyes. Reliving the memories…they were awful.

"No way to treat a lady," the other Flamedramon said to me.

"I…was just trying to protect her," I mumbled. "I didn't really hate her…I just didn't want her to stay with me. If she did…"

"And yet, when she heard of your death, the poor dear continued to cry herself to sleep every night until she was turned into one of those Bio Hybrids. _Far_ too good for you, I'd say." My body moved on its own once again; I attacked the other Flamedramon, but my flames passed through his body. He simply shook his head.

"Let's see where you went after that, shall we?" Once again, the two of us lifted up into the air, flying in the direction John had run until we reached a large, old-looking fortress that stood in the forest.

"Lachesis…"

"You burned this place down, didn't you?" the 'other' asked. "Because of that, the members of that organization are forced to seek refuge in the house belonging to a now-deceased knight. Speaking of…he carried the Mark as well, didn't he? You noticed…when you first met him." Without thinking, I walked into the fortress of Lachesis, where I saw John speaking to Apollomon, Dianamon, SlashAngemon, and BlackGaomon.

"Who is chasing you, little one?" Dianamon asked.

"Who would try to hurt a child?" SlashAngemon asked.

"They're chasing me…because of this mark…" John showed the four Digimon the symbol on his arm.

"That hardly seems a suitable reason to chase somebody," Apollomon said.

"It is because of what I am that I carry this mark," John said. "It is because I have the blood of Humans and Digimon inside of me that I carry this mark." BlackGaomon, Dianamon, and SlashAngemon all gasped. Apollomon, meanwhile, stared intently at John.

"You've gone through hell, haven't you?" Apollomon asked. "All because of something you cannot control."

I looked up at the fiery Mega Digimon, wide-eyed, but…happy. Happy that I had someone to turn to. I remember the exact words I said to him next. I said them simultaneously with my Human self.

"What if I'm not worth protecting, because of what I am?"

"Anyone pure of heart is worth protecting," was what he told me. He said it exactly as I remembered. The look in his eyes…it was so sincere, I just couldn't stop myself from breaking down and crying at that very moment. Both as John, and as Flamedramon. Dianamon lovingly cradled John in her arms as he cried himself to sleep.

"That was the promise they made to you," said the 'other'. "You put all of your hope and faith in them, and how did they repay you?"

"You don't need to tell me what—"

"By letting you down. By failing to protect you when they said they would." I glared at him; he stood right next to me, with his arms crossed, calmly observing the scene before him. "Oh, they _did_ indeed try; you cannot fault them for that. But…they were unsuccessful." Without my notice, the scene had changed to that of a small, poorly built house, set completely ablaze. Far away in a corner stood John, surrounded by two rather large men.

"This is where you die, kid," said one of the men.

"For insulting the goddess that gave us all life just by existing, we sentence you to a swift death," the other man said.

"Solblaster!" A huge fireball tore through the side of the house and struck the two men dead in an instant.

"Apollomon…I remember this," I said. "This is where…"

"John…I'm sorry…none of this would have happened if we had been watching you at all times," Apollomon said, calmly stepping into the blazing house. He offered me his hand, which John was about to take when Apollomon was struck from behind by a Digimon. The Mega Digimon hit the floor, unconscious, and John was left standing, facing a Meramon. The Flame Digimon walked up to John, his fiery body roaring in anger, and grabbed him by his arm, the one with the mark, and hoisted him into the air.

"Hangman is coming down from the gallows, kid, and you don't have very long," Meramon said. The Champion walked John out of the house, past the unconscious body of Apollomon, and up the stairs of a crudely made gallows, in front of which stood a large crowd of Humans and Digimon, all of which were yelling and cursing at John. A rope was fastened around his neck. A lever was moved. The floor underneath him opened up, and it was over in an instant. John was dead.

"All of this happened because of me." I turned and looked at the other.

"Are you…a ghost?"

"…I suppose you could say that." The other turned to look at me; though we were the same height, it seemed as though he were looking down at me. "I became known as the first Digimon to ever fall in love with a Human." The other turned back to look at the lifeless body of John. "How tragic…simply because you were not like them, _this_ happened to you…When you were given a second chance at life, _this_ is what you became." Once again, flames surrounded us, and this time, a third Flamedramon stood before us.

"That's…me?" My past self was cornering a young woman outside a burning building.

"Why? Why are you doing this?!" the woman asked.

"If I am going to continue to be rejected…then the only thing I can do is reject the world," my past self said. "Anyone else remaining in this wretched village…will share the same fate." A twist of flames coiled around my past self's arm.

"No…please, don't; I'm preg—" the woman suddenly began screaming, completely enveloped by my flames. My past self looked on with a cold hatred in his eyes, and I with horror in mine.

"Yes, I know," said my past self. "You would not be the first to make such a claim." The burned woman fell to the ground, dead.

"This…did I…really do this?" I asked.

"You did." I looked over at the other. "This is what you became."

"WHAT ARE YOU?! WHO ARE YOU TO ME?!"

"That Human woman and I…we didn't know what would happen, but still, we had a child. The child looked Human, but had the mark, just like yours. After that, the two of us discovered we as well carried it."

"You…are you telling me that you're my—"

"It seems unlikely that you were _that_ child," the other said. "But…who's stopping you from being a descendant of mine? So you see, Flamedramon; it is _my_ fault you carry the mark. It is _my_ fault you look the way you do now."

"Why I look…Why was I…brought back?"

"The Goddess does things in a mysterious way. Perhaps she simply felt sorry for the both of us," Flamedramon said. "You see, it seems that while you were killed, I was on the verge of death myself for reasons pertaining to our mark. It seems that we now share the same body; you were given my body and powers, and I was given your consciousness — hence why it took until now for you to become aware of me. Flamedramon…we are…the same person now."

"…But…why…Who are you?"

"Still don't know? You remember Apollomon and SlashAngemon, do you not?" Somehow, I was able to make my head nod. "They were part of a group known as the Celestial Vanguard, a group of twelve of the strongest Digimon who worked tirelessly and flawlessly at defeating Lilithmon and her allies five hundred years ago. I was one of those Digimon." I stared silently at the other Flamedramon. "It seems that this dream is a curse brought about by one of those Digimon — rather, a nightmare, I should say. You…you still have the mark, don't you?" I looked at the center of my right claw…at the mark.

"Yes. I do. But it is in a different place than the one I had as John…is this where yours is?" Flamedramon nodded.

"As long as you carry it…you will forever be surrounded with sadness as long as people see you as a violation of the Goddess's teachings. You are doomed to be forever persecuted, hated, scorned…unloved, even. If that little girl is still alive, she will no doubt suffer the same fate, but for a long time, due to the Digimon blood in her."

"No…no! I can't…How do we get rid of this cursed mark?!"

"There is no way. Flamedramon…as soon as you were born, you were both doomed to be treated this way. It is an unfair and unjust world we live in, but that is the way things are, and the way the people are, it is unlikely to change for many centuries."

"…Why?! Why would you—"

"It was selfish of me, I know, to love a woman of the other species without thinking of the consequences it could bring, but because of this, you and that girl are doomed to eternal sorrow." Once more, I mindlessly attacked the other Flamedramon in a blind rage.

"You should know by now that that won't hurt me," Flamedramon said, appearing behind me. I looked closer into the flames; someone was caught in the blaze, but it wasn't the other Flamedramon.

"ABIGAIL!" The flames instantly dissipated when I screamed her name, leaving her horridly burned body in its wake. "ABIGAIL! ABIGAIL!" The woman slowly raised her arm up to stroke my face, and as I gently reached to place my hand over hers, she faded into dust, carried off by the wind. I turned back and glared at the other Flamedramon as tears began to well in my eyes.

"Why do you look to me, as if it's my fault?" Flamedramon asked. "This is one of DeathPhantomon's nightmares, after all; I am quite familiar with them. He did the same to me; making me think I had brought harm to the woman _I_ had loved." I looked off in the distance as tears began to fall down my face.

"Abigail…Abigail…"

"…I see that there is no reasoning with you," Flamedramon said. "How did I end up sharing the same body with such a hard-headed individual?" His words fell on deaf ears, as I continued looking away, mindlessly repeating Abigail's name.

"_Flamedramon…it's okay…"_

"_I'm right here, Flamedramon. I'm right here…"_ I felt an unseeable hand stroke my face, the last thing I remember before becoming completely surrounded by the darkness once more.


	97. Blood and Thunder

**Myotismon**

The moon hung low in the sky; the city of Yew basked in its light. "In another few hours, the sun will rise," I said to myself. "I'll have to make this quick."

I looked down at the large city from the sky and smirked, baring a single fang. I spread open my cape to signal my bats. In an instant, hundreds of bats descended, their small black bodies swirling around me as they awaited my command.

"This is a rush order, boys; I don't care, I don't want to know how, just wreak a little havoc on the city below. Just enough to grab the attentions of those self-righteous bastards who dare to stand against us!"

My bats complied, flying down to Yew. In no time, the streets were coated in blood. The air was filled with the screaming of the victims of my bats. My smile broadened. _If _this_ doesn't get their attention…I don't know what will!_

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**9 Hours**

"What if we just get Dynasmon to blow up the entire castle for us?" Statuedramon asked. "If that castle of his caves in on him, _that_ would save us the trouble of actually having to fight SkullCaliphmon." We had been sitting around the living room since returning from Yew, trying to brainstorm ways to fight the remainder of the Order.

"I…guess I could ask him if he would be able to do that," Zelda said.

"Or, we could ask him to fly us in there," I suggested. "SkullCaliphmon's castle doesn't have a roof so he can remain immortal in the moon's light; Dynasmon could just fly us down into any room that SkullCaliphmon is and fight him there. That way, Dynasmon wouldn't be wasting all of his energy _trying_ to destroy the castle instead of helping us destroy the Digimon that lurks within."

"Why do I get the feeling that all of our victories over these Digimon are going to be because of those Spirit Digimon?" Statuedramon asked.

"A lot of them _are_ Mega levels; equal in power maybe even to Apollomon and Seraphimon," I replied.

"Yes; Gallantmon, SaberLeomon, and Dynasmon are all very strong, and since they're Spirits, there is no way for them to die," Zelda said. "But they still feel pain, and all the same emotions that we do. If they become badly injured while here, we must wait for them to recover before we ask for their help. And I'd feel bad, asking them to do all of this work…"

"I know. Because they are more than just powerful Digimon helping us in fights…They are our invaluable friends," I said.

"And from the way they act, you'd think that they were all your bodyguards, Zelda," Statch added.

"It's because they're all just drawn to her sweet and charming personality," I said. Zelda's face reddened, but she smiled as she shyly lowered her head.

"So, that's the plan, then?" Statuedramon asked. "If Apollomon hasn't returned by the end of next week, we'll be going to SkullCaliphmon's castle?" I nodded. "Can't wait; cracking that bastard's skull is going to be so much—" The front door swung open, nearly falling off its hinges in the process as Pheragas ran into the living room.

"Thomas…you ah going to vant to see dis," the large man said, breathing heavily.

_Great; who is it _this_ time?_ Calmly, I stepped outside only to find that the pale blue sky was filled with smoke.

"Dat smoke is coming from Yew," Pheragas said. "I don't know vut it is, but dare is too much smoke for it to be a forest fire. It seems dat somebody is attacking de city."

"…It's like they're _trying_ to get our attention," I said.

"In that case, it's probably a trap," Statuedramon said. "What are we going to do, Thomas? You going to go see what's going on?" Zelda already stood at my side, awaiting my orders.

"I don't see how I could _not_. This is what we do, after all."

"…Ah, hell. Fine, I'll go with you," Statch said resignedly. "Even though it's most definitely a trap," he added under his breath.

"The three of us will be back soon, Pheragas," I said.

"Do not get yourselves killed over dare," the warrior said.

"We won't."

It took only ten minutes for us to find ourselves in the burning capital city. Smoke filled the air as its scent filled my nose. The streets were stained with blood. The flames that covered nearly everything in sight were gold in color. Even from more than ten feet away, I could feel their heat and intensity.

"This is Myotismon's doing," I said.

"YOU THREE!" A pair of baleful blue eyes gleamed through the thick, dark smoke, looking down at us from up in the sky.

"Myotismon…"

"Do you know _why_ this is happening?" The Ultimate Digimon hovered down through the smoke, landing on top of a burning building in front of us. The golden flames reached his chest, but his body was not singed in the slightest.

"I have a feeling you wanted us to come here," Statuedramon said.

"The reason you…killed…all of these innocent people…it was just so you could fight us, right?" Zelda asked.

"That is correct!" Myotismon's voice thundered through the smoke-filled sky, making the golden flames surrounding him flicker menacingly. "SkullCaliphmon believes — and I do too, of course — that as soon as you are all dealt with, we will have no more problems keeping our freedom."

"Well, Myotismon, I hope you had fun taking all of these lives," I said. I drew my sword from its scabbard. "Because they will be the last lives you will _ever_ take!"

"You made a big mistake, challenging us," Statuedramon said. "With Hydramon and Belphemon down for the count, the rest of you should be significantly weaker. When we kill you…what do you think will happen to the other nine?"

"You _are_ only an Ultimate level Digimon," I said. "You'll be a lot easier for us to kill than the other two."

"SILENCE!" Myotismon yelled. "The others might only wish for their freedom, but I want something _more_! They may not care about having the entire continent under their thumbs, but _I_ do! What good does our freedom do for _us_ if we don't spend our days doing things like this?!"

"…I get it now," I said quietly. "The others have yet to do something like this because they want to keep the freedom they didn't have for so long. Like SkullCaliphmon…he doesn't want to go back to the Dark Area, so he's just sitting in his castle…"

"I'll have you know that SkullCaliphmon is _not_ just sitting around!" To my surprise, Myotismon had suddenly apparated in front of me. "SkullCaliphmon is _not_ that kind of Digimon!"

"So, what is he doing?" Statuedramon asked.

"…He…he's…_strategizing_."

"Right, well, while he's busy 'strategizing,' we're going to break into his castle and kick his bony ass back to the Dark Area."

Myotismon looked down at the shorter Rookie. "I should tell you that I am in an _extremely_ foul mood!" Myotismon snapped. "If we allow you three to roam free, it will severely hinder our desires!" A large hand clasped itself around Myotismon's shoulder. The Ultimate Digimon looked up and stared into the face of Gigasmon. "…_You_ were the one to kill me last time!"

"Me no understand how you back," Gigasmon said. "But me make you go away again for good!"

"Crimson Lightning!" A blood-red whip appeared in Myotismon's hand, and before Gigasmon could react, the Digimon Spirit was struck repeatedly in the face by Myotismon's attack before vanishing. Statuedramon ran up to the taller Ultimate, furiously swinging his sword around Myotismon's head, while the Undead Digimon deftly evaded each attack. "You're getting on my nerves, Rookie!" Myotismon reached out and grabbed Statch's sword mid-swing. "You'd be nothing without this weapon! I'll take great pleasure in destroying it!"

"Fist of the Beast King!" A flaming lion's head struck Myotismon from behind; the furious Digimon turned around, now staring down Leomon.

"Grisly Wing!" Myotismon's attack hit Leomon square in the chest, making the Spirit fall over.

"…Geez, I'm bad at this…" Leomon looked up at Myotismon one last time before he was struck by a Crimson Lightning, making him fade away.

"Come forth, Gallantmon!" Zelda cried out. The Exalted Knight Digimon appeared next to her. "I…I'm sorry to call you up so soon after—"

"You do not need to worry," Gallantmon said. "You may call on me anytime you wish, Zelda." Gallantmon looked over at Myotismon. "Hear me, Myotismon! I slayed the Digimon known as Belphemon in only a few attacks! What do you think would happen if I hit a Digimon like _you_ with the same attacks?!"

"I doubt either of us will ever find out," Myotismon said. "Nightmare Claw!" A shadowy entity shot out of Myotismon's hands at Gallantmon, and though the Spirit held up his shield to protect himself and Zelda, the attack turned him a sinister, gruesome shade of black.

"Gallantmon, are you okay?" Zelda asked.

"I…I'm fine…" Though the Spirit had fallen to a knee, he pointed his lance at Myotismon, firing off a blast of lightning from its tip which Myotismon was able to avoid merely by moving his head.

"Crimson Lightning!" Myotismon's attack hit Gallantmon's head repeatedly, soon making the Spirit vanish. Zelda rummaged through her satchel, looking for another Talisman.

"Dynasmon—" Zelda was instantly interrupted, and knocked to the ground by another of Myotismon's Crimson Lightning attacks.

"ZELDA!" Statuedramon and I ran over to her, but we too were attacked by Myotismon. I picked myself up almost instantly and began to walk over to Zelda. But I stopped when I saw her reach over and pick something up off the ground.

"…A talisman," she said softly.

"Crimson Lightning!" Myotismon aimed another attack at Zelda as a look of rage flashed in his eyes. I swung my blade and intercepted the attack, cutting through his whip.

"Come forth, Lobomon! Cross forth from the other realm and aid my friends in this fight!" A Digimon I'd never seen before, covered in shining white armor and matching Myotismon in height, appeared in front of Zelda.

"…This fire wasn't here the last time I was here," Lobomon said. Looking around, the new Digimon Spirit gazed sadly at the fire that continued to consume the city. "…I guess this means my old master's dead now. Huh. Oh, well."

"Lobomon…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to—"

"Don't worry about it," Lobomon interrupted. "Old boss wasn't the nicest guy, and he didn't call me up too much, and rarely for battle. So, how can I help you, young lady?"

"I will make you vanish!" Myotismon yelled.

"…This guy, I'm guessing?"

"If it isn't too much trouble for you…" Zelda said. Lobomon smirked. Myotismon began flying toward the two when Lobomon jumped into the air.

"Lobo…Kendo…" Lobomon looked on as his weapon flew out of his hands, flying straight past Myotismon's head before crashing through the window of a burning house. "Huh…Well, crap, that didn't work."

"…Are you _freaking kidding _me?!" Statch asked. "How'd you find a Digimon _this_ clumsy?!"

"…Uh…my bad?" Lobomon asked. Myotismon suddenly appeared behind Lobomon, and punched him in the back of the head. Lobomon turned to fight back, but in doing so, he stepped on his scarf and slipped, falling to the ground. Myotismon raised an arm, about to attack once more when Lobomon jumped back up and thrust a sword through Myotismon's arm. Myotismon fell backwards, and Lobomon pinned Myotismon's arm to the ground. "Howling Laser!" Using the weapon on his left arm, Lobomon fired a burst of light energy through Myotismon's back and clear through his chest. Myotismon yelled out when it happened as Lobomon removed his sword from the Ultimate's arm. Myotismon forced himself up, looking down at the gaping, bloody hole in his chest.

"This…can't be…happening!" Myotismon's body began to turn back into small bits of data, to his horror. "I think I'm…I'm dying? No, this…isn't right…I can't…I CAN'T…No, please! Don't…make me…go back…_there_…" The final bits of Myotismon's data floated away, lost in the smoke-filled sky, with his golden flames disappearing as soon as he did.

"…My work here is done," Lobomon said. "That was fun. Call me again whenever."

"Thank you for your help, Lobomon," Zelda said. Embarrassedly, Lobomon looked down and away as he glowed in a golden light, and then vanished.

"Well, that's three down," Statuedramon said excitedly.

"The rest will follow shortly," I said. "Let's go back to the villa; we need to tell Pheragas what happened."


	98. Time of Action

**SkullCaliphmon**

**Cyprus Desert**

"The rest will follow shortly," Thomas said. "Let's go back to the villa; we need to tell Pheragas what happened."

_Those bastards! How _dare_ they murder Myotismon?!_ In my anger, I crushed the crystal sphere given to me by DeathPhantomon which I had been using to watch the members of Lachesis — their witch, in particular, especially when she took a shower. Though I am only bone, I crushed it with ease. The shattered pieces rained down on the floor before my throne. _He…the kid really looked up to me! He was just trying to make me proud of him, so what do _I_ do?! I send him to his death, _that's_ what I do!_

"Careful, your grace; DeathPhantomon didn't give you too many of those," Tactimon said.

"…Yeah…you're right…" I looked up at the knight; as always, he was kneeling before me. "Apologies, Tactimon…I rarely get angry like that."

"I understand, your grace. Myotismon…his passion for remaining alive was perhaps the greatest among the Order."

"In a way, his death suited him," said a voice from the shadows.

"Who goes there?!" I asked, startled by the sound of the new voice.

"No need to get so tense, Mr. Skeleton King…" A golden wolf stepped out of the shadows.

"Lupinemon…what do you want?" I asked. Tactimon rose from the floor before me and backed up against a wall as the newcomer walked up to me and casually lay down on the floor in front of my throne.

"I had a bit of an unwelcome detour while I was in Nymphaea; I came here to the desert to warm myself up a little." The sunlight seemed to reflect right off the Digimon's fur; I had to keep myself from covering my empty eye sockets, reminding myself that I had no eyes to go blind with. "Since I was already here…I thought I might as well pay you a visit."

"Well, your timing couldn't be any better," I said, drumming my fingers impatiently on the arm of my throne. "Myotismon was killed a few minutes ago."

"Oh, was he, now? That _is_ a shock…" Her voice sounded unsurprised, almost sarcastic. "Hmph. No big loss there…"

I stuck the two blades of my sword into the stone floor, two inches away from Lupinemon's snout. "I'll have you know that Myotismon was an _excellent_ Digimon, and—"

"—And you're the only one who feels that way," Lupinemon yawned. "Which reminds me…you still owe me for letting those…kids into your castle a while ago."

"No I don't."

"No?"

"Our deal was for _you_ to lure them into my castle so that I could kill them," I said. "I didn't kill them because of Flamedramon's intervention. If you want me to 'owe' you, I'd suggest you find them and lead them back here." I was expecting Lupinemon to acquiesce, but to my annoyance, she stood her ground.

"Not happening," Lupinemon snorted. "Our enemies are intelligent, the swordsman and summoner in particular. The swordsman was able to deduce my incapability of compressing the weight of my Digimon form while in my Human form simply by looking at Linoan's footprints. And then there's the summoner; she has Digimon instincts and senses, but Human intelligence to make reason of them. She will be a dangerous adversary."

"What's your point, Lupinemon?!" The golden wolf looked at me over her shoulder.

"They will _not_ fall for the same trick twice, SkullCaliphmon, not even the Digimon that accompanies them — he may not be the brightest, but he's very cautious, which will make it harder for us to trick even him."

"Well, nobody said you had to _trick_ them to get them to come here! _Force_ them if you must! Just bring them here so that I can put an end to them!"

"I refuse." Lupinemon turned away from me. "If you do not owe me anything…then I certainly do not owe _you_ anything. If you want them dead so badly, get up off your bony ass and slay them yourself!"

"You dare insult His Grace?!" Tactimon barked. "Ally of his though you may be, I shall have you _hanged_ for—"

"Who are you to threaten me, worm?" Lupinemon asked in a smug voice. "You are merely a servant of one of the Order's twelve — granted, you are the only one aside from DeathPhantomon's servants. Know your place." Lupinemon left the room, and vanished as quickly as she had appeared.

"The nerve of that bitch!" Tactimon spat.

"Leave her be, knight," I said. "I am quite used to her, and right now, she is the least of our concerns."

"Our concerns…Your Grace, I've a proposition for you." Tactimon knelt down before me once more. "Your Grace, allow _me_ to find those accursed Humans who slayed Myotismon. Allow _me_ to bring them to you."

"No, you don't need to go through all that trouble," I said. "…Just kill them in their own homes. That will suffice for me."

"Yet, Lupinemon—"

"I only told Lupinemon to bring them to me because I did not trust her to kill them. That girl…no matter how many times she says otherwise — no matter how many times she says that she is a Demon Beast — she cannot hide the stench that comes with being an Exalted Beast."

"An Exalted…Then she—"

"That girl is _far_ too affiliated with the light for her own good," I said. "If she isn't careful, that could get her into a lot of trouble…or even killed." The thought of Lupinemon being killed filled me with delight, but at the same time, I knew I couldn't act on desire alone. If she were to die, then the rest of us would grow weaker.

"…Is there any danger of her turning traitor, Your Grace?" Tactimon asked.

"I do not believe it would ever come to _that_, Tactimon," I said quickly. "However…the fact that she _is_ an Exalted Beast…could inadvertently drive her to lead us all to our ruin, as well as our demise; both us, and our enemies."

"Your Grace, I shall personally see to it that that never happens," Tactimon said. "I shall place my life on the line, if need be. I will go after the vermin at Lachesis, but if I come across Lupinemon in doing so…do not expect me to show any mercy."

"…Act as you see fit…Tactimon…my final knight from the days of old."

* * *

**Zelda**

**Saias's Villa**

For the past two days, Thomas had done little more than sit and stare out the large bay windows of the villa's spacious living room. He barely ate, and I was unsure if he had even slept the night before. He sat on a window bench, with his left side towards the window and his legs pulled up against him, and every once in a while, I would see his head turn, as if he had seen something. His face was pale with exhaustion and drenched with sweat.

"No need to worry about him," Luna said, placing a hand over my shoulder from behind. "I've seen him go two weeks without eating before…although, come to think of it, that _may_ have been because of the Stingmon that had nearly skewered his stomach at the time…"

Nearly _skewered?! How can you be…Maybe it would be better if I don't ask._ "Well, I'm going to worry about him anyway," I said. "He must be exhausted; he hasn't been eating or sleeping, and he's been fighting and walking constantly for the past few weeks…Isn't there…anything we can do for him?"

"…You're _so_ adorable," Luna cooed in a soft voice, lightly pinching my cheek.

"He's thinking about Apollomon, isn't he."

"I guess it _has_ been a while, but our orders from him were to wait a week until going to fight SkullCaliphmon if Apollomon hadn't returned by then, and it hasn't been a full week yet. If Thomas wants to spend that time waiting and hoping Apollomon will return, then we should let him."

"But…if he's busy worrying about Apollomon, then won't he be distracted in battle?" I asked.

"I doubt it. Thomas isn't the kind of guy to get distracted like that. After all, he hasn't been once distracted by that cute face of yours while fighting alongside you and Statch, has he? And don't say anything like you don't think you're attractive enough to catch anyone's attention, because even though your modesty is rather endearing, it is unbecoming of such a beautiful girl."

"…I'm sorry…I just don't know any other way to think about myself…" I could feel myself grow more and more flustered by the minute.

"You have nothing to worry about, is all I'm saying." Luna smiled down at me, gently sweeping some of my hair away from my face. "If it'd make you feel better, you can ask him yourself; he _is_ right there."

I looked up at the sorceress, and smiled back at her. "…Chrysania…has a wonderful mother," I said.

Luna's smile widened. "Zelda…you're free to think of me like a mother, too, sweetie," she said softly. "I remember what you told me about your own mother, how she hurt you like that, and…well, if you ever need someone like that to talk to…" Luna nervously rubbed the back of her neck, looking up and away. I placed my arms around the woman's slender waist and hugged her.

"Don't worry, Luna; even if there's no one else I can go to, I know I can always turn to you." Giving the sorceress one final smile, I pulled away and walked over to Thomas. I softly whispered his name, making him flinch back in surprise. His surprised expression faded when he saw me, turning into a very exhausted-looking smile.

"How are you?" he asked. His voice was hoarse, shaky, and raspy; whether it was from thirst or not having been used in some time I wasn't sure.

"…I should be asking _you_ that." I sat down on the bench directly in front of him. Our backs were propped against the wall. Like every other thing in the villa, the window seat was rather large and spacious, and I was able to sit with my legs out in front of me, with my feet pressed against his. "Are you okay, Tommy?"

"I am…fine…"

"Apollomon and the others will be fine. They _will_ return, and it will be any day now," I reassured him.

"…I've…been thinking about what to do about SkullCaliphmon," Thomas said. "Part of me wants to continue waiting for Apollomon to return before we fight SkullCaliphmon…Then, there's another part of me that remembers just how…_easily_ SkullCaliphmon defeated Apollomon last time, and that was back when it was only him, Lilithmon, and Cherubimon alive. But now, there are nine of them, and I doubt Apollomon would be able to help us much against him…" Thomas rested his forehead in his hand. "I've been trying to decide what would be the best thing for us to do…but I just can't get my mind off Apollomon. We don't know where he is, we don't know where he went, we don't even know if he's still alive! Hell, we don't even know what happened to Seraphimon! And if it's not him I'm thinking about, it's Lilithmon. We have to stop her, I know that; but every time I think of a way to stop her or any of the others, a new problem just pops up in my head."

"Do you…regret your decision?" I asked. I scooted myself closer to him and drew my legs up against my body, with my arms resting atop my knees and with my feet resting atop his. "When you were asked to become our temporary leader, you accepted. Do you regret it?"

"Regret it? No way!" What had once been a worn-down, almost gloomy expression turned into a look of confidence. "If I regretted it, I wouldn't be sitting here trying to think of what would be the best thing for everyone. I knew it would be difficult, sure, but I'm not going to give up; I accepted the job, so I'll see it through to the end." I smiled at him.

"That's one of the many reasons why I love you so much, Tommy; you see everything through to the end, and you try your hardest to keep all of us safe," I said. "Trying to think of what would be best for _every_one is a difficult task. You knew that, but you accepted the burden regardless, and you're working hard to ensure you keep your word. But Tommy…you've been working so hard, that you've been neglecting your _own_ needs and wants. I don't want to see you make yourself sick — or worse — over this. Please…come eat a meal with the rest of us, okay? And our bed is so cold and lonely without you for me to snuggle up against…"

Thomas reached out and placed a hand over the top of my head. "I'm sorry…You said I've been neglecting myself, but it seems that I've neglected you more," he said. "I'm sorry." His hand moved down, and he gently moved his fingers against my cheek, brushing away a tear. A kind and gentle warmth sprung up in the middle of my chest at his touch, and I couldn't help but smile. "I've missed seeing that beautiful smile of yours…just seeing it makes all my worries vanish."

"I'm glad I was able to help you," I said softly.

Thomas looked directly into my eyes. "You do so much more for me than you ever know, Zelda. You've saved my life plenty of times on the battlefield, even when we first met and didn't know each other. Your smile eliminates all my fears and worries. You are the person that keeps me going, and you are the light that keeps me from falling into a pit of despair, or into darkness itself."

_I…I had no idea…_ He had begun looking out the window once more, and with an inattentive expression on his face, he absently began stroking the tops of my feet in the same manner he did when he stroked my hair at night whenever I would wake up after a nightmare. _I never knew I had done so much for him!_ Instinctively, my feet flinched back, without his notice, as soon as he began to slowly roll my toes between his fingers; I had to stifle my laughter. _How many times have I told him how ticklish I am? Guess he hasn't forgotten…_ I didn't mind, though. I smiled. He had never forgotten, nor would I want him to; though, based on his forlorn expression, I doubt it was on his mind. He would always have playfully done something like this just to try to get on my nerves, and no matter what I said, I always enjoyed it. His fingers would always linger on my navel, which I encouraged him to do, not only because I loved the way it felt when he would gently stroke it, but because I was very well aware of his preferences. His touch was always so gentle, and he'd always stop whenever I asked him to…I would guess. I never have, of course.

After a while, he turned his gaze from the window back to me and said thoughtfully, "Zelda…before I met you, I was only an assassin. All I did was kill people for a living. That was all I did, and I did it without a second thought. My life had almost no meaning. But now…now that you are in my life…my life has meaning. Because you are here with me, I have someone I can protect. You give my life meaning. You are my light, Zelda. I love you."

"Thomas…I…" My face had reddened a considerable amount, and I hid it in my arms. _Would now be…a good time to say it? Probably not…Either way, what if he says no? Oh, but I've just got to know!_ "Tommy…when all of this is over…when Lilithmon and the others are all dealt with…" My heart was beating very rapidly; I feared it would burst through my chest. I felt so nervous, and I was certain my face was redder than it had ever been. The palms of my hands and my face were perspiring in my nervousness, and to me, the room felt like it was broiling.

"What is it?" Thomas asked, giving me an encouraging smile. "You can tell me."

"When…when all the members of the Order are all gone…we…w—we should…g—get…" In my own light-headed nervousness, the word I was trying to say would not come out, as if it had vanished without a trace from my very memory. However, I had forgotten all about it when Thomas's eyes immediately darted to the window. His entire body turned around, and on his face was a look of almost fearful shock. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"…Someone's coming," he said.

"Is it Apollomon?!" I looked out the window; the person I saw was, to my dismay, not Apollomon, nor anyone I knew, for that matter. The person — clearly a Digimon — was walking up to the villa through the scorched grasses of the lawn. "Who is that?"

"I don't know," Thomas said, rising slowly to his feet. "Let's go see."


	99. Echoes from the Crypt

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

The unknown Digimon stopped walking when Zelda and I stepped outside. Its pitch-black armor reflected the light of the sun, and he held a large, sheathed katana. It simply stood there as we approached it.

"Who are you?" I asked warily.

"You are the ones…fighting the Order of the Enchantress…correct?" The Digimon spoke slowly and unsteadily, but in a clear and firm voice.

"Who are you?" I repeated. The Digimon held out his sheathed blade. We both took a step back as he brandished his weapon.

"Foolish creatures who seek to change the course of destiny; I am a servant of the Order's twelve! My name is Tactimon, and I am SkullCaliphmon's only living knight from the days of old!" the Digimon thundered. Almost instinctively, I glanced up at the sky upon hearing SkullCaliphmon's name.

_It's almost night…I wonder if the servant suffers the same weakness as the master?_ I put my hand to my sword, but Tactimon held up a hand to stop me.

"Your deaths will be much less agonizing if I am not required to use my sword."

"Then _don't_ draw your sword," I said. "Better yet, stay still so it will be easier for me to kill you!"

"Why have you come here?" Zelda asked. "Is SkullCaliphmon too afraid to show his face during the day?"

Tactimon glared down at her. "His Grace SkullCaliphmon's powers are limited during the day," he said. "It is only under the light of the moon where he becomes truly immortal."

"And as soon as he steps out of that light, he can be killed as easily as you or me," I said. Tactimon's eyes narrowed with contempt.

"_Be careful, Tommy,_" Zelda whispered into my ear. "_I can sense…a strange power emanating from his sword._"

_A strange power…_now_ I see…_

"You will never find out, because right here…right now…you shall all perish!" Tactimon yelled. In an instant, I drew my own sword, and both weapons clashed. Sparks flew in the air at their contact. My face was mere inches away from Tactimon's as Tactimon vowed, "I shall fight you all to my very last breath with every ounce of strength that I possess!"

"…Pathetic. So, _this_ is all the strength you have?" I asked. Tactimon gasped quietly in surprise. His sword lowered. "I do not even need to use _half_ of mine against you!" All in one motion, I batted his sealed sword away with my own and struck the side of his arm, forcing him back a few steps. Tactimon stared up at me, bewildered and with his free hand covering the bleeding wound on his sword arm.

"How?! I am a Digimon, and you are nothing more than a mere Human!" Tactimon shouted. "How are you this strong?!"

"You forget who you're dealing with — or maybe you never knew," I said. "I am an assassin. I live in the shadows, and I have successfully murdered every last target given to me…even Mega level Digimon. And _you_, Tactimon—" I pointed to the Digimon's sword. "—your true strength lies in your strategical abilities, and not your physical strength. It's your sword…your sword is your power, isn't it?" Tactimon remained silent. "Your sword…it has some special abilities, doesn't it? That's why you keep it chained in your scabbard, right?"

"…You found out so quickly," Tactimon said. "You're quite an observant one; I can see how you would make a good assassin. But how did you know about my sword? You are only a Human!"

"You can thank my girlfriend; she has the ability to sense things that only a Digimon could sense, and not a Human." Tactimon's head turned to Zelda.

"Then…you carry the Mark?"

Zelda's face went blank with shock. "…You know about us?" Her voice trembled.

"I can sympathize with you, young lady," Tactimon said. "The way you must have been treated…ALL those carrying the Mark are treated as such, and yet, you seem to be an exception."

"Tactimon…do you—"

"What a cruel twist of fate," Tactimon interrupted. "To be mistreated horribly for something that cannot be helped. That sort of thing should not happen to you…" Tactimon lowered his head. "…Rather…what I _should_ say…that sort of thing should not happen to _us_…"

"…You _do_ have it," Zelda whispered. Tactimon showed us his injured arm, where my sword had hit him. In the middle of the blood I had drawn was the Mark.

"…I almost laughed out when you hit me, in the exact same place as this accursed Mark," Tactimon said. "I had hoped…that you would have removed it completely with your attack…"

"That would not have worked," Zelda said. "My mother…when I was young…she cut the skin off the back of my hand — she did the same to my sister's back, where _her_ Mark was — in the hopes that it would disappear completely. But…no matter how many times she did it, the Mark would always return…She eventually drove herself mad from desperation, and I was always frightened that she would cut off my hand…Tactimon…there _is_ no way to get rid of the Mark."

"I see…that is most unfortunate," Tactimon sighed. He looked up at us; his pure yellow eyes almost seemed to be filled with sadness. "I…I cannot continue this fight…I cannot fight a fellow Marked…I cannot fight against one who treats us fairly…" Tactimon knelt down before us and placed his sword down on the lawn. "I surrender to the both of you. Do with me what you will. You may…even dispose of me if you wish, assassin." I looked down at him, feeling nothing.

"Why did you come here in the first place?" Zelda asked.

"…SkullCaliphmon…His Grace…wanted you dealt with…I volunteered for the job, but…I didn't know you were also Marked," Tactimon said. "I…I didn't know…" Tactimon began to weep quietly into his hands.

"Tactimon. _Why_ did you come here?" Zelda repeated gently.

"SkullCaliphmon…he told me…to kill you all…"

"Is your word to your master so irresolute that you will give up as easily as this?" I asked. Tactimon stared up at me in surprise. "I…am not a soldier. I cannot stand the knights of Valencia Territory and what they do. But I do fight as part of a guild, and I _do_ have a master, just as you do, Tactimon. When he gives an order, I follow it — and not just me; everyone else in my guild does, too. We do so not because he is simply the one in charge; we do it because he is _worthy_ of being in charge. That is something he has proved time and again. Is your bond with SkullCaliphmon really that weak?!"

"…Say whatever you want. I…will not do something as unjust as inflict suffering on one who has been through Hell."

"Tactimon…you FOOL!" The sky darkened with thick clouds. Directly above us, the clouds swirled and formed a thin but powerful tornado that hit the ground between us and Tactimon. When it was over, SkullCaliphmon stood in its wake. "How _dare_ you chose not to obey an order of mine?!"

Tactimon cowered before his master. "Your Grace…please, forgive me…"

"And now, you're begging for forgiveness after giving up on life?! You're a disgrace to my other knights hundreds of years ago, Tactimon!" SkullCaliphmon barked. The tall Mega Digimon held his sword up in the air, and spun it around in a circle. "Echoes from the Crypt!" The wind began to pick up around the four of us, gradually growing stronger and louder until a tornado formed around us. The wind blocked everything around us from sight, and for a moment, it felt as though I had been lifted up off the ground. Zelda kept a tight grip on my arm the entire time. I blinked. The winds were gone. We no longer stood in the front lawn of the villa; instead, we stood in the worst possible place.

"This is…SkullCaliphmon's castle?!" Zelda asked. I looked up. The sky had darkened with nightfall. The moon was in plain sight.

_How…did this happen? What was that?!_

"Pretty neat, huh?" SkullCaliphmon asked. Behind him was a large, ornate throne. "With just one attack, I brought all of us to my castle, hundreds of miles away from where we were, in only a few hours!" SkullCaliphmon's head turned to look at Tactimon. "Tactimon, let me make one thing very clear to you; I _order_ you to fight them! This is no longer a request!"

"…No. I…refuse to fight these two," Tactimon said firmly, standing to face SkullCaliphmon. "Do whatever you want to me, but I will not hurt—" SkullCaliphmon picked up his sword and shoved it deep into Tactimon's face until it emerged through the back of his head.

"Sheesh, it's just talk, talk, talk with you, isn't it?" SkullCaliphmon wiped the blood off his weapon as Tactimon's data vanished. "Hah, preposterous. What could have driven him to choose his own demise?" SkullCaliphmon turned to look at Zelda and me. "Now…_our_ fight begins."


	100. Creature of the Light

**Thomas Kasuto**

**SkullCaliphmon's Castle**

"Now…_our_ fight begins," SkullCaliphmon said. I drew my sword and Zelda reached for a Talisman right before SkullCaliphmon pointed upward. "Look up. The sky…it is clearly visible, and there's not a cloud in sight!"

_Shit, he's right!_ The moon was brightly shining down on everything in the castle, leaving not a speck of shadow around. _He's…immortal!_

"With the moon shining down this brightly, you won't even be able to so much as _hurt_ me, let alone _kill_ me!" SkullCaliphmon laughed.

"Final Elysion!" A beam of light shot out from above Zelda's head and hit the Mega Digimon point blank. The attack created an explosion, kicking up sand and dust that hid SkullCaliphmon from view.

"Gallantmon!" I gasped. The tall Digimon Spirit stepped between us and approached SkullCaliphmon.

"You came here without me asking you to?" Zelda asked. "…I had forgotten you were able to."

"I apologize for that," Gallantmon said. "I hope you do not mind me coming here; it seemed as though you were in danger."

"No, I don't mind. Thank you for your help, Gallantmon."

"You think he _helped_ you?!" SkullCaliphmon scoffed. "An attack like that couldn't dare to come even _remotely_ close to killing me under the moon's light!"

"He…isn't hurt?!" Gallantmon exclaimed. "I had heard he was immortal, but this is unbelievable!"

"Gallantmon, we need to find some way to get him into the shadows!" Zelda said. "He won't be immortal anymore, then!"

"You are correct," SkullCaliphmon said. "You could also wait until morning…but you'll all be dead _long_ before either of those things happen! Sirocco Sword!" Gallantmon jumped in front of us, letting the unseen attack strike his shield. "Protect yourselves all you like! My winds can pierce through steel without effort!" As if on cue, the sides of Gallantmon's round shield fell off as though they had been cut through. The corner of Gallantmon's cape floated away in the same manner. "Look at that! Pretty clean, huh? No jagged edges or anything!"

"…Gallantmon…do you think you could force him outside of this castle?" I whispered. "His immortality ability is only effective while standing inside this castle."

"I shall try…"

"You will wear the face of despair when I am finished, Spirit; Grave Danger!" SkullCaliphmon raised his hand, with his palm upwards; countless tombs popped out of the stone floor and began flying in the air around Gallantmon.

"Royal Saber!" A blast of lightning shot out from the tip of Gallantmon's lance, striking each of the flying tombs and turning them to dust. However, more tombs popped out of the floor to take their place. When Gallantmon finally pointed his spear at SkullCaliphmon, the Undead Digimon merely laughed.

"Now, dance, my tombs! Dance!" SkullCaliphmon began waving his enormous sword around in the air as if it were a conductor's baton. All of the tombstones rushed forward and hit Gallantmon, each of them shattering into smaller, jagged pieces of rock that cut through Gallantmon's armor and what was left of his shield. With his legs trembling, Gallantmon struggled to remain standing. SkullCaliphmon ran forward and hit Gallantmon over and over with his dual-bladed sword. Gallantmon weakly hit the floor, disappearing.

_No…even Gallantmon was defeated by him?! This isn't good…_

"Now…you two…" SkullCaliphmon walked up to the two of us. "At your current rate, you'll run out of Spirits to hurl at me before you both die. You have no chance of escape in my trap-filled castle. So, my question to you is this; how will you spend your last moments? Begging for mercy? In each other's arms? Fighting back?"

"We aren't going to die here," I whispered, drawing my sword from its scabbard. "You are."

"How will that happen? How are two _Humans_ going to stop me?" SkullCaliphmon asked. "Oh…but I guess one of you isn't a Human, though." My heart skipped a beat, and I glanced over at Zelda. "Poor, contemptible creature…you are neither Human nor Digimon, the two races created by the Goddess. You have somehow deluded yourself into thinking these allies of yours care about you and love you. Your very existence is baffling…and your life is without meaning."

"_SkullCaliphmon, shut your mouth_!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

"…You're wrong," Zelda whispered. "My friends…they all care about me…and I care about them…"

"That is not possible," SkullCaliphmon said. "Who could ever love a half-breed subhuman? You are a disgusting presence." Unable to contain my anger, I ran up to SkullCaliphmon and rammed my fist into his skull, sending him flying through the air. The Digimon landed on the ground behind his throne, where he was completely covered by its shadow.

_A shadow?! Then…if we can hit him hard enough…_ SkullCaliphmon sat up, and put a hand to his skull, below his right eye where I had hit him. Between his bony fingers, I could see that I had made a few small cracks. _Although, that may not be necessary…_

"Damn, you hit hard; I wasn't expecting to feel that," SkullCaliphmon said, wrapping his fingers around the hilt of his sword.

"You're finished."

"What are you talking—" When SkullCaliphmon looked up at me, the part of his skull that I had struck fell apart, caving in and leaving a large hole behind that took his right eye with it. "What?! How did you do—"

"Look down."

SkullCaliphmon did as he was told. His remaining eye cringed. "Shadows?! Here?! How is that possible?!" The Undead Digimon scrambled to stand up and leave the shadows provided by his throne. I kicked a rock that was near my foot, and it hit him in his other eye, making another hole. In a final effort to escape, he reached his arm out into the moonlight.

"SkullCaliphmon…_you_ are the one who lead a meaningless life," I said. "Make sure to tell your friends in the Dark Area that."

"This is…not…the end…The others…they will—" I stomped with all my might on SkullCaliphmon's shaking arm, shattering the bones and breaking his arm clean off. SkullCaliphmon's skeletal body faded into dust, and was carried off by the wind, leaving his cloak, sword, and crown behind, all of which faded away soon after.

I looked at Zelda, who was looking steadily down at the ground. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"…I…I have been called worse," Zelda said. She turned to smile at me and said, "I'll be fine. I won't cry…You don't need to worry." I sighed, and smiled back at her.

"If you ever need to…you know where to find me," I said. "I'll always be there for you."

"Tommy…thank you."

I placed my arm around her shoulders and the two of us turned to leave.

* * *

**Lupinemon**

**The Savage Prairie**

**Shendu Territory**

The stars were brighter than they had been for a long time. "That must mean another of our number has been defeated," I said to myself. "Us twelve darknesses that darken Arcadia, and with it, the light of hope…Our deaths brighten the stars' light…" I was undisturbed by our vanishing comrades. Belphemon, Hydramon, Myotismon, they were all weak in my eyes. They were indeed powerful, but they let themselves be killed. A sure sign of weakness. Taking my mind off of them, I looked back up at the sky. Each star twinkled and shined. It was breathtaking. "I suppose that's _another_ good thing that comes of each of us dying…"

"Care to repeat that little comment?" Without turning around, I knew who stood behind me; I could tell by the stench of iron that came from his armor.

"Greetings, Generalmon," I said.

"You do not seem very agitated over the recent events that befell our group," Generalmon said. "You do know that each of these deaths make the rest of us weaker, correct?"

"Yeah, I know."

"And yet, you do not care? DeathPhantomon has informed me that SkullCaliphmon has fallen as well." Generalmon remained silent for a few moments, as if expecting a reaction from me. I wasn't going to give him one, of course. "Lupinemon…you do not belong with us." That comment surprised me; I turned and bared my fangs at the Warrior Digimon, growling. "You are not like the rest of us."

"Explain yourself before I tear you limb from limb, Generalmon!"

"…You can hide behind your empty words as often as you wish," Generalmon said. "You say you are a Demon Beast…but you are really…an _Exalted_ Beast."

"Are you questioning my loyalty to the Order?!" I roared. "How _dare_ you?!"

"I dare because I know it to be true!" Generalmon retorted. "You are a creature of the light, not meant to walk amongst the shadows. Your presence dissipates the darkness we _loyal_ to the order need in order to thrive here, outside of the Dark Area!"

I flung myself at the heavily-armored Digimon, but he swatted me away with his large axe.

"Take that anger and direct it at the members of Lachesis — and not at me — if you truly wish to prove your loyalty."

I turned my head to glare at Generalmon, but he was gone. My heart was beating rapidly, and I could hear it easily in the silence of the night.

"…Members of Lachesis, huh?" I looked up at the sky. "Yeah…I'll pay them a visit…"


	101. True Emotions

**Andromon**

**2 Days**

I had heard rumors of his presence in this city. Myotismon's words continued to ring in my ears as I walked through the moonlit streets of Yew, and even though word of his demise came to me a while ago — along with his destruction of the northernmost part of this city — they continued to haunt me. I know I had no emotions with which to feel this way — they died with my humanity when I became Andromon. Neither Human, nor completely a Digimon, either. But even so, his words…they continued to unease me, confuse me. Could it be that my heart is actually beginning to remember how to feel? I wasn't even sure if I had a heart anymore. Probably not. But if I did…that would certainly explain the emotions I was told I wasn't supposed to have…by everyone I have met ever since I became this form.

"Everyone…except for Thomas," I muttered. "The only one who has yet to berate me, he is…him and his friends…" My thoughts turned immediately to the three…They had never really specifically mentioned anything about whether or not I _should_ feel emotions; however, they _also_ haven't said that I _couldn't_…I quickly pushed all of these thoughts from my head. I had to focus on the task at hand. I had to find him. Even if he kills me as soon as he sees me, I had to find him. The chance that my questions would be answered was something I was more than willing to risk my very existence over, and I wouldn't give up until I found him. After about an hour of walking, the scent of carnage caught my attention. "Odd…in the northern part of the city, I am not…yet the aroma of death lingers fresh on the air…"

"Who goes there?!" An enormous Digimon glared down at me. He stood on the ground, and yet he was taller than every building around. "There should be no survivors…who are you?!"

"You have been sought out intentionally…There are questions for you, I have," I said. "My name is Andromon."

"…A Machine Digimon? Or perhaps—"

"Not a Digimon at all, I am," I interrupted. "Or, so I have been told since turning into this monstrosity you see before you."

"Why have you come here?" His voice sounded less angered, and truly curious by this point. "What questions did you have for me?"

"…Your ally…Myotismon…Told me about you, he did," I said. "A Machine Digimon, you are, and yet you possess emotions. Please…tell me…how I can get my own emotions, Machinedramon."

"…Emotions…are not something you can simply 'get,'" Machinedramon said. "You either have them or you don't. Nothing to it."

"But it's different for us!" I yelled. "We're machines; just hunks of steel! Some of us have emotions, and some of us don't!"

"Which is exactly what I meant by 'you either have them or you don't,'" Machinedramon said.

"And I…I'm a step further from different," I said. "Created…in a lab, I was…the researchers…they forcefully combined a Human with Digimon DNA. They failed…and thus, I was created, doomed to never be either race ever again…"

"Oh…so, you were a prototype for those Bio Hybrids Lilithmon has working for her…" Machinedramon stared down at me silently for a few seconds. "…Myotismon…said you have no possessions because of your origins, didn't he?"

"Yes. Not the only one, he was, but his words sting the most."

"That's probably what I hate the most about that bastard; he's never direct with someone unless he's insulting them," Machinedramon spat.

"You do not like him?"

"Hardly! I hate him even more than DeathPhantomon and Lilithmon! That is definitely saying something!" Machinedramon said.

"He told me you have true emotions…what do you do…to experience yours?"

"You want to prove him wrong, don't you?" I nodded. "…I feel happiest…when I am destroying things. Rampaging through a city like this one, killing innocent people, seeing the streets stained red with all the blood…nothing makes me happier than seeing something so artistic. If you want to prove Myotismon wrong…then do as I do, Andromon."

"Do as…you…" I turned to a building beside me, opening up my chest plate and preparing to fire a Gatling Attack.

"No, not that one," Machinedramon interrupted. "Not just _any_ building. If you want my advice, if you want my help, then you will go after a _particular_ building. If you can get rid of that one, then you may be at my side as much as you wish."

"At your…side?"

"We both hate Myotismon. We are both mechanical Digimon. Furthermore, to be honest, I do not particularly mind your company, Andromon," Machinedramon said. "Destroy this one building for me…you will experience emotions as _I_ do…this is beneficial to both of us."

"…Where is this building?"

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**5 Hours**

"You _killed_ him?!" Statch gazed at me in awe. Zelda and I had just returned home. Statuedramon was the first to greet us, and his first words were 'where the hell did you two go off to?! Do you know how worried we've been?!' as he dragged us into the living room, where Luna, Chrysania, and Pheragas sat. "You actually _did_ it?! How?!"

"I thought the plan was to wait a little longer for Apollomon to return," Luna said.

"…I take it this means they haven't returned yet," I said. Luna shook her head sadly.

"They'll be okay, mommy," Chrysania said, placing her arms around the sorceress's slim waist. Luna reached down and patted her on the head. "Mr. Apollomon's really super strong, and, and he's got Dianamon and BlackGaomon with them…they'll be okay…"

"…Sure they will, sweetie…"

"So, vhy is it you two decided to go to de desert, den?" Pheragas asked. "And how did you get back so quickly?"

"Well, we didn't really _decide_ to go," I said. "SkullCaliphmon just kind of showed up and took us to his castle without our consent."

"He used one of his attacks to take us there in only a few hours, rather than days. It seemed like an instant to all of us, though" Zelda added. "After Thomas…after he killed him, we had to walk all the way back."

"Wait, _you_ killed him?" Statch asked.

"All I did was punch him in the skull," I shrugged. "He was…saying some terrible things about her…I just got so mad that I punched him. He flew over his throne and landed in its shadow, and next thing I know, the part of his skull where I hit him broke apart and left a big hole, and he died."

"You punched his skull in," Statch said. "You literally fractured his skull…with your bare hands…Remind me to never piss you off again…"

"It seems your title of 'The Assassin' is well deserved, indeed," Luna said. "You permanently killed an unkillable man. Twice."

"And now, ve ah left vith eight to kill," Pheragas said. "Vut ah your orders, Thomas?"

"…I really think we should go looking for Apollomon," I said. "But we don't have any idea where they went; we don't even know where Seraphimon is…"

"If we find him, he might be able to tell us where Apollomon, Dianamon, and BlackGaomon are," Luna suggested.

"I think _one_ wild-goose chase is enough; I say we focus more on Apollomon than Seraphimon," Statuedramon said. "_If_ we decide to go searching for them, that is!"

"We'll all go along with whatever you decide to do, sweetie," Zelda said, gently squeezing my hand.

"…Luna…you fought Generalmon, right? Did he tell you anything in particular that might reveal where he might be?" I asked.

"Actually, he did; he seemed to have a pretty deep grudge against the entire city of Acacia," Luna said. "I don't know what would drive someone to hate an entire city like that, but I'd be willing to bet that if he's anywhere, that's where he'd be."

"And this Generalmon…is he strong?" I asked. "I know you fought him on your own, Luna, but how strong do you think he is? Would we be fine as a group?"

"_I_ think so," Luna shrugged. "_I'm_ not even that strong, and I killed him by myself. Though, he did break a few of my ribs in the process…"

"…Okay, here's the plan," I said after a moment's thought. I opened my mouth to speak again when Statuedramon suddenly sprung up.

"I hear something!" he said frantically.

"What is it?" Luna asked.

"…Sounds like…" he gasped. "Everyone, get down!" Without hesitation, all of us hit the floor as two missiles soared through the air and crashed through the windows, exploding.


	102. Lucemon's Decision

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

The windows shattered, sending shards of broken glass flying everywhere as we hit the floor. I quickly grabbed Zelda and lay over her to shield her from the attack with my body, and Luna did the same for Chrysania. I lifted my head just high enough to get a look around, my ears ringing. The entire room was filled with smoke from the explosion, but luckily, there didn't seem to be any flames. Statuedramon stood in front of all of us, holding up his shield to protect us from any additional oncoming attacks as Pheragas placed himself between Luna and the new hole in the wall to protect them.

"Is everybody okay?!" Statuedramon asked.

"Damn it! They just keep coming, one after another," I muttered. "Who is it this time?!"

"I can't tell; I'm going out!" Statch nervously walked up to the smoldering hole. Zelda and I both carefully sat up; we were surrounded by shards of broken glass, and we were both covered in small cuts that stang when we moved.

"I'm okay," she whispered, anticipating what I would say. There was a particularly large cut on the side of her left arm. Blood welled forth from it, staining her sleeve. I clenched my fist, looking down at the floor.

_I am so fucking _sick_ of seeing her get hurt! She's been through so much in her life, but all of our enemies find it necessary to do things like this to her!_ I unclenched my fist when I realized I had torn open the skin of my knuckles in doing so. _I'm going to kill that bastard in the most painful way I know how for doing this to her!_ I placed a quick kiss on Zelda's forehead, then ran through the smoke and outside after Statuedramon. "Who is it? Who's the bastard who hurt her?!"

"Is she okay?!" Statch asked.

"She's fine," I replied.

Shaking his head, he looked around. "I can't see anyone through all this smoke!"

"Two voices…familiar to me, they are." A form finally began to materialize in the smoke. The voice of the person who had spoken was familiar. "Oh, dear…a terrible mistake, I have made…"

"…Andromon? Andromon, is that you?!" I asked. The prototype Bio Hybrid walked through the smoke. "Andromon, what the hell are you doing here?!"

"This place…is where you live," Andromon said to himself. "I had not been made aware of such fact."

"What are you talking about?" Statuedramon asked.

"Asked to come here, I was. Ordered to eliminate this building and all its residents, was I."

"…Someone made you come here?" Statch asked. "Your speech pattern's kind of confusing me…"

"…He was right, though," Andromon said. "Told me I would feel emotions for the first time when I came here, did he. And emotions, I do feel…not the ones he promised me, but emotions nonetheless."

"And who is _he_?" I asked, suddenly feeling less angry. _I guess I can't really be mad at Andromon if he wasn't told we were here…_

"Machinedramon is his name. Ally of Myotismon, he is."

"Machinedramon…he's one of Lilithmon's allies," Statuedramon said.

"Andromon, do you know where he is?" I asked. The anger that had vanished was suddenly renewed. Andromon looked down at me.

"…You would…trust me?" he asked. "After I…attacked you?"

"C'mon; it's obvious you didn't know this was where we all lived. You haven't attacked since you realized that." In spite of the circumstances, I did my best to smile at Andromon. "Also…you said you felt emotions for the first time…what do you feel, seeing what you've done?"

"…I feel…what you would call…despair," Andromon said. "Guilt."

"Then, that's all the more reason we have to trust you, Andromon. You obviously didn't want to hurt me or my friends," I said. "Please…take us to where Machinedramon is." Andromon stared at me for the longest time.

"…Very well. Wish to make up for what I have done, I do. Take you to him, I shall."

* * *

**Yew**

**20 Minutes**

"Almost there, we are," Andromon said. Statuedramon and I were the only ones who had gone with him. Luna was with the others, treating their cuts and wounds from the broken glass with her potions and spells.

"You shouldn't have come with me," Statuedramon said. "I'm okay because of my shield, but you're pretty badly cut up from protecting Zelda."

"I'm fine," I said. "It's only on my back. If you're worried, I'll have Luna take a look at it after we've killed Machinedramon."

"Your hand's bleeding, too."

"That was from clenching my fist too hard." Statuedramon grimaced, taking a few steps away from me.

"I apologize," Andromon said. "If I…if I hadn't—"

"Andromon, I told you; you have nothing to apologize for," I said, giving him what I hoped was a friendly smile. Andromon nodded understandingly, but the look in his eyes made it seem like he wasn't fully convinced yet. "…Tell you what; if you still feel bad about it, then you can help us fix up the villa. Deal?"

"…Yes, of course," Andromon said. "Thomas…the first person to not treat me any differently after I turned into this form, you were. Do anything to help you and your friends, I would."

"Glad to hear it, buddy."

"We've reached Braig's lab," Statuedramon said. "This is where he's at, right?"

"Told me he would be waiting here, he did," Andromon said. "But see him, I do not…"

"This was where he was freed from the Dark Area by Sephyrus, wasn't it?" I asked.

"So he has told me." The ground trembled. Somebody was slowly approaching us. Somebody big.

"Think that's him?" Statch whispered. I nodded. The three of us turned around as the giant, mechanical Digimon came into view. In spite of his large size and the length of each of his strides, it seemed to take him ages to finally walk over to the frozen lab.

"Andromon…back so soon?" he asked. "Good job! How did it go? Did you find the emotions you sought?"

"…Not exactly," Andromon said, giving Statuedramon and me a rather confused look.

…_Doesn't Machinedramon see us?_

"I discovered the way emotions feel…for the first time," Andromon said. "Machinedramon…you promised me joy…I felt sorrow…guilt…"

"I'm sorry to hear that," Machinedramon said, sounding truly remorseful. "Were you successful in killing them?"

"…No. I found that I could not do it."

"I understand; if it is the first time, it is always a little overwhelming," Machinedramon said sympathetically. "Now…who are these two?"

"You don't _remember_ us?!" Statuedramon exclaimed. "I killed you, like, two or three weeks ago!"

"…I do not remember," Machinedramon said. "Wait…are you from that Lachesis group?"

"YES!"

"Oh, now I see. Andromon, why did you bring them with you?"

"We are here to kill you, Machinedramon," Andromon replied.

"…Kill me? After everything I've done to try to help you, Andromon, you'd do that to me?"

"Tell me my friends lived in that house, you did not! Kill you, we will!"

"…I see." Machinedramon lowered his large head to face Andromon specifically. "I, Machinedramon, will not yield to the frail heart of an infantile coward! Don't resist; it'll make your deaths faster and more painless!"

"I'd like to say the same to you!" Statuedramon said. "Seeing as how I killed you last time and all…"

"My power has no limits!" Machinedramon roared. "I will _crush_ you! Giga Cannon!" Statch held up his shield as Machinedramon fired off his attacks. Not aimed at him, Machinedramon's attacks soared over Statch's head and blew up Braig's old laboratory. After over a month of being frozen in place, the ice finally shattered as the building collapsed in place. Statuedramon was left transfixed, staring, at the now burning building, as Machinedramon struck him from behind with his right arm's Dragon Fire attack, sending the Rookie hurtling through the air and into the rubble of a demolished house.

"Lighting Blade!" Andromon joined in the fight, firing off several energy blades at the titanic Machinedramon, though all of his attacks bounced and broke apart as they hit his steel body. "Speak to Wisemon, did you not? How was Machinedramon defeated ages past, I wonder?"

"He was killed by a Digimon called EmperorGreymon," I said. "Like most of the others from the Celestial Vanguard, nobody seems to know where he went, so we're going to have to try to defeat Machinedramon by ourselves!"

"Giga Cannon!"

"Watch out!" Andromon pulled me to the ground just as Machinedramon attacked again. The attack passed harmlessly over our heads, eventually vanishing from sight.

"Just give up!" Machinedramon said. "You can't run; I'll just chase you down until I catch you!"

"We're not running away," I said. "My job is to kill people like you on a daily basis. I couldn't look at myself in the fucking mirror if I turned away now!" Statuedramon finally climbed out of the rubble, and ran over to us.

"Yeah, you'd better believe we'd die before surrendering!" he yelled.

"Permission granted. Giga Cannon!"

"Gatling Attack!" Andromon's chest plate opened up and fired two missiles into Machinedramon's cannons before he could attack. The cannons exploded, consuming Machinedramon in a ball of flames.

"Holy shit!" Statch exclaimed.

"Andromon…"

"Stop him, that will not," Andromon said. "Prepared for him, you must be." As if on cue, Machinedramon stomped through the flames, heavily burnt with several wires drooping all over him. Bits and pieces of his steel armor had melted away, and as he walked, he left behind puddles of molten iron. The cannons on his back had simply vanished.

"I misjudged you," Machinedramon said. "But you will not be so lucky again; Dragon Fire!" Machinedramon brought his claw down on us as Andromon shoved Statch and me out of the way, grabbing Machinedramon's arm midair before it hit the ground. Andromon hit the ground in a matter of seconds, becoming trapped under Machinedramon's claw. "You were too much trouble."

"Lightning Blade!" With his free arm, Andromon fired another energy blade, this one piercing clear through Machinedramon's arm. After a loud, metallic creak broke the silence that followed, Machinedramon's arm fell off, freeing Andromon. Machinedramon took another step forward as Andromon attacked him once again, sending a Lightning Blade through the larger Digimon's chest. Machinedramon came to a sudden stop; various mechanical bits and screws fell through the hole in his chest, followed by some melted iron and torn wires.

"Well…it seems…you have beaten me," Machinedramon said, his voice and his body creaking loudly. "But the Order of the Enchantress shall triumph! I may perish…but sooner or later…the Darkness of the Dark Area…it will billow forth and devour this continent!" With a final creak, Machinedramon's head fell off and hit the ground with a resonating thud, sending small scraps of iron flying into the air as his body disappeared, leaving nothing behind. Andromon sighed with relief, falling back down to the ground.

"Andromon, are you okay?" I asked.

"Be fine…I will," Andromon said, breathing heavily. "That…wore me out…"

"When we get back home, we'll have our witch brew you up a potion; they snatch the exhaustion right out of you," Statuedramon said enthusiastically. "You are…coming with us, aren't you?"

"Still…owe you a debt, I do," Andromon said. "Fix your house, I shall." I smiled.

* * *

**Horusmon**

"…And so…the fifth flame dies out…" I sighed. _Machinedramon…you were so powerful, too; how could they be _this_ strong?! Or…is it that _we're_ getting weaker?_ I looked down at the city of Yew from the sky. Thomas, Statuedramon, and Andromon were leaving. _I could…attack them right now…but…that would not be an honorable victory. I wish to fight them at their strongest._

"Horusmon!" I turned around. Flying up to me was Lucemon.

_Oh, great;_ him._ Even_ DeathPhantomon_ would be better than him…_

"Lucemon wishes to know what you are doing," Lucemon said, his monotoned voice as dull and creepy as ever.

"Just observing the battlefield from afar."

"Like a vulture, waiting to pick clean the bones of the fallen."

I looked at Lucemon. "Is there a point to your visit?" I asked.

"Lilithmon told Lucemon that you were the last to see Apollomon and Seraphimon alive," Lucemon said. "Was her statement a truth, or was it a falsity?"

"No. She speaks the truth. For once." I looked to the north. "I buried them in a landslide in the Black Rose Mountains a while ago. I have no doubt that they are still alive, but they will all die at some point."

"LUCEMON WANTS TO BE THE ONE TO KILL THEM!"

"…You really _are_ an oddity, Lucemon," I said. "I'll take you to where they were buried. How's that?"

"Lucemon wants to kill the other members, too," Lucemon said. "You will take Lucemon to where they were buried, then Lucemon will find the other members and kill them all at once."

"Got it." _Freak._


	103. Andromon Joins

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**20 Minutes**

Zelda immediately threw her arms around me as Statch and I walked into the villa. I was surprised at first, but I returned her loving embrace. Luna, Chrysania, and Pheragas crowded behind her. "Welcome back," she whispered. "None of you got hurt, right?"

"It's nothing we can't handle," Statuedramon said. "I got kicked into a building, so I _guess_ I'm a little bruised up, and Thomas is still cut up from when Andromon attacked the house, and—"

"That was Andromon who did that?" Zelda asked.

"Yeah…did we not tell her…?" Statch looked up at me.

"No. We just walked outside and spoke to Andromon before going to Yew," I said. _We were probably gone for about an hour; no _wonder_ everybody looks so worried…_

"I'll get you a concoction for all those cuts; I'll see if I can find anything for Statch, too," Luna said, heading upstairs.

"Is Andromon okay?" Zelda asked. I turned to glance behind me; Andromon stood motionless on the lawn, giving the entire villa a guilty stare.

"You can come in if you'd like," I said. Reluctantly, Andromon's eyes glanced up at me, but he slowly walked toward us.

"It's good to see you again, Andromon," Zelda said, smiling sweetly at the Digimon.

"Apologize immediately, I must," Andromon said quietly. "'Twas I who attacked—"

"Yeah, Tommy just now told us you were the one who attacked us," Chrysania said. "You don't need to feel sad about it; you're still traveling with Tommy, so you _must_ be a good guy!"

"He already promised us that he would help us rebuild," Statuedramon said.

"Vut's done is done," Pheragas said, nodding. "If you ah helping us, den you really ah an ally." Andromon looked at the five of us. His eyes began to well with tears.

"…Everybody…I thank you…from the bottom of my nonexistent heart…"

"Don't cry, man; you'll just rust," Statuedramon said. I opened my mouth to speak, but my words came out as a partially stifled yell. There was a searing pain on my back, as if there was melted steel being poured on it.

"Stop complaining; if it hurts, that just means it's working," Luna said. "I'll have the tears on the backs of your shirt and coat looked at later." The sorceress walked over to Statuedramon and took hold of his arm, slathering a putrid, green potion on a large gash, making the Digimon howl in pain. Ignoring him, Luna looked up at Andromon. "Are you hurt, big guy?" Andromon glanced at Statch and me.

"…No…harmed, I am not," he said slowly.

"Suit yourself. Make sure you come to me the next time you start _bleeding_." Luna began slowly lapping the mixture of mine and Statch's blood off the tips of her dainty fingers with a look of calm but crazed joy in her eyes. "I'll make sure to have you…_dealt with_…" Andromon slowly backed away from the sorceress.

"It should stop burning in about ten minutes," Zelda whispered to me when Luna was looking the other way.

"You didn't get hurt too bad, did you?" I asked.

"No, I'm…fine…" She gave me a worried look as I quietly removed a shard of glass from the side of my right arm.

"Well, Machinedramon's dead," Statuedramon said.

"Dat is very good!" Pheragas exclaimed. "Dat leaves us vith seven left, no?"

"Is Mr. Andromon going to join Lachesis?!" Chrysania asked, excitedly jumping up and down. Unsurprisingly, she slipped and nearly fell, but Pheragas caught her in his large arms.

"You need to calm down, little vun."

"I've been trying to, but I can't do it when I'm really _super_ _happy_!"

"But you ah alvays happy."

"Oh, yeah…"

"Have a place to go, I do not," Andromon said solemnly. "Stay here, I will…if you'd let me…"

"YESYESYESYES! Oh, please say you'll join us!"

"Very well…I…shall," Andromon said. Chrysania squealed with sheer delight; throwing her arms up in the air, she hugged Andromon.

"THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU THANKYOU!" Chrysania began bouncing up and down, nearly making her hat fall off.

"It's almost time for dinner; would you like to join us, Andromon?" Luna asked.

"Required to eat, I am not," Andromon said. "Not eaten in four years, I have, nor do I feel the urge to do so."

"Would you like to join us?" Luna repeated.

"…I would."

"Great! The dining room is this way…"

"Would you like me to give you a hand, Luna?" I asked.

"I was going to make you, anyway; glad to see you're volunteering." The witch smiled at me.

"HALT!" All of us turned to face Andromon. His eyes were open wide. "Someone…is approaching…"

"What do you mean?" Statch asked.

"Approaching this house, somebody is," Andromon said. His head turned around completely, and looked out the open door. "There…in the sky…" The rest of Andromon's body turned around, and the Android Digimon stepped outside. Nervously, Zelda and I followed after him in time to see a rather tall Digimon descend from the sky onto the villa's lawn.

"Greetings, members of the guild known as Lachesis," the Digimon said in a dull, monotone voice. "I believe this is the first time you have met Lucemon, is it not?"

"You're a member of the Order of the Enchantress," I said.

"Yes, Lucemon is a part of that group." The Digimon stood silently, staring at us. "Do you…need something from Lucemon?"

"Uh…_you_ were the one that came to _us_," Statuedramon said.

"…Yes…Lucemon _did_ come here…But he cannot remember why…"

"How'd a guy this dumb almost kill Dianamon?" I whispered to Statch.

"Lucemon heard you." The Digimon was suddenly two inches away from my face. "Lucemon hears everything. He also just remembered why he came here."

"…Well? Why did you come here?" Zelda asked.

"Lucemon came here…because…he knows where Apollomon is."

"Apollomon?! Where is he, you bastard?!" Statuedramon asked.

"Apollomon is with Dianamon, BlackGaomon, and Seraphimon in the Black Rose Mountains," Lucemon said. "They were buried in a landslide, but are still alive." Without a moment's hesitation, I ran out the door, only to be stopped by Andromon.

"A trap, this could be," he warned.

"I am _not_ going to risk the lives of my friends over the _chance_ that what he says could be a lie!" I said. "Even if it _is_ a trap — even if Lucemon is just going to take us away somewhere and attempt to kill us — that's okay. We'd have to fight him eventually, so it's just as well that he showed himself now, rather than later."

"What Lucemon has told you is not a lie; your friends are in the Black Rose Mountains," Lucemon said.

"_Could_ be," I said. I looked up at the orange sky. "Andromon, you come with me."

"Me…? Go with you?" Andromon asked.

"It's getting late, and I'm sure the others are getting tired and hungry," I said. "Also…while Apollomon is away, I'm in charge, so I'm _ordering_ you to come with me."

"U—understood…" Andromon spoke nervously, though he smiled at me.

"Would you like me to go with you?" Zelda asked quietly.

"No. It'll be dark by the time we reach the mountains; I don't know what might be waiting for us there, or if that's where we'll be going at all," I said. "Please…stay here where it's safe."

"…Okay…please be careful…"

"We will." I leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "We'll both be back before you know it." Lucemon placed his arms around mine and Andromon's waists and hoisted us up into the sky.


	104. True Master

**Thomas Kasuto**

**40 Minutes**

I looked down on the scene far beneath. Several peaks of the Black Rose Mountain range where visible beneath, while others were hidden in the clouds above. Lucemon had flown incredibly fast in spite of carrying both me and Andromon, and though it was night by the time we reached the Black Rose Mountains, we reached them sooner than if we had gone by foot, which would have taken an entire day.

_I've never been here at night. It looks…different._ The entire landscape had an eternally menacing look to it; during the day, the jagged spires and seemingly bottomless chasms seemed to have a blood-red glow to them. At night, each of the mountains were pure, pitch black, making them look like the claws of a hideous beast. The perpetual dark clouds that hung low in the sky did not help matters. Occasionally, they would rumble with thunder, or move with a heavy wind, but it very rarely rained in the area. The only precipitation the mountains received were at their peaks, which — when they could actually be seen through the dark clouds, which was hardly ever — were completely pure white with snow, in stark contrast to their dark appearance at night. The chasms underfoot glowed an eerily blood red.

"Horusmon showed Lucemon where your friends were buried." Lucemon finally landed, carefully placing Andromon and me on the ground.

"Horusmon is here?" I asked.

"He is deeper in the mountains from where your friends are buried," Lucemon replied. "Your friends are…in this general vicinity…"

"Thomas…detecting signs of life in this direction, I am," Andromon said, pointing down a steep cliff.

"Yes, that is where they are," Lucemon said. He picked the two of us up once more and flew down the slope at a dizzying speed. He stopped when we reached a large pile of boulders.

"They…they're buried under all _that_?!" I asked incredulously.

"How are they still alive?" Andromon asked breathlessly. I started to scurry over to the boulders, but Lucemon placed his hand over my shoulder, stopping me.

"Allow Lucemon," he said. "Grand Cross!" Lucemon created a cruciform syzygy in his hands, which he then fired at the boulders. The boulders were destroyed instantly, shattering into little more than sand and leaving the forms of four Digimon in their wake.

"APOLLOMON! DIANAMON! BLACKGAOMON! SERAPHIMON" I ran over to the body of our guild's leader, slumped against a rock. He was covered in dust and bruises, but he was breathing. "APOLLOMON! APOLLOMON, SPEAK TO ME, DAMN IT!" Slowly, the Mega Digimon's eyes opened.

"Thomas…" he began to laugh quietly, though it quickly turned into a fit of coughs. "So…you found us…Tell me; are the others…okay?" I looked over at Dianamon, BlackGaomon, and Seraphimon. The three Digimon were slowly beginning to sit themselves up with the help of Andromon.

"Yeah…yeah, they're all fine," I said.

Apollomon rested his head in his hand. "Damn…how long were we buried here for, kid?"

"It's been a few weeks. Are you okay, sir?"

"Yeah, I think so. We Digimon are built differently from Humans, you know," Apollomon said. "I could've easily lasted a few more weeks like that…Just sayin'…" Apollomon placed his hand on top of my head. "So, what sort of hell have you all been raising without me around?"

"Well, we killed five of Lilithmon's allies…" Apollomon's eyes widened as Andromon shouted my name. I looked up just in time to see Lucemon hold out his two hands, one enveloped with light and one with darkness.

"Ultimate Sacrifice."

"Gatling Attack!" Lucemon was struck down to the ground by Andromon's attack.

"This guy…I've killed him before," Dianamon said weakly.

"Sit down! You aren't strong enough to fight him now!" I said. "Leave this to Andromon and me; you four sit back and take it easy for now."

"Hmph. You giving us orders?" Apollomon asked.

"Until you return home…it was the general consensus among the others that I act as leader," I said. "So, yes…I am ordering you, Apollomon, and you, Dianamon, BlackGaomon, and Seraphimon, to sit down and take it easy."

"This is weird; being given orders by someone I'm used to bossing around," Apollomon said.

"When you all get your strength back in a few days, _do_ something about it," I said firmly.

"I didn't know you had such a side to you, Thomas," Dianamon said. "I kind of like it."

I walked off to join Andromon. "Where is he?"

"I do not know," Andromon said. "Detect the warmth of life from him when we flew, I did not."

"So, we just need to be on our guard, is what you're saying." I pulled my sword from its scabbard. "Which way did he fall?" Andromon raised his hand, but before he could point, Lucemon charged him, tackling the Android Digimon to the ground. Lucemon aimed a punch at Andromon's face, but only ended up hurting his own hand when Andromon moved, making Lucemon punch the steel-covered part of his head. I quietly snuck up behind Lucemon and placed my hand over his mouth, and just as my sword made contact with his neck, he grabbed my arm and flung me over his shoulder. As I was in the air, Lucemon flew up to me and shoved his knee into my back, making me fall to the ground.

"You imbecile! You have no chance of winning against us, no matter _how many_ of us you kill!" Lucemon said, placing his foot on the back of my head. "Your friends have but one fate; to sink into the darkness! And you will share that fate, Thomas!"

"Lightning Blade!" Andromon's attack hit Lucemon in the middle of his back, knocking him off of me. As Lucemon lay on the ground, I was reminded of Wisemon's words.

"Dianamon…your mother fought him," I said.

"…You mean Crusadermon," Lucemon said. "Yes…that Digimon engaged in combat with Lucemon…"

"What about her?" Dianamon asked.

"I don't understand the details of it, but apparently…" I looked at Lucemon, took a deep breath, and sighed. "Apparently…these Digimon lose power when they fight someone carrying the blood or the weapon of the Digimon that killed them five hundred years ago."

"Thomas…why didn't you tell me sooner?" Dianamon slowly rose up, despite her trembling legs. Using her hook as support, she walked up behind me and Andromon.

"We've already killed five of them, and Lucemon's only an Ultimate level; I thought Andromon and I could handle it."

Lucemon glared at us. "You are all nothing in the shadow of the Order; you will all fall one by one at Lucemon's hands!" he shouted.

"I've heard enough from you; Arrow of Artemis!" Dianamon's attack pierced through all of Lucemon's ten wings, pinning him against the side of a cliff. A look of horror spread across Lucemon's face as Dianamon leapt up and brandished her weapon.

"No…please, don't!" Lucemon pleaded. "Lucemon doesn't want to—"

"Crescent Harken!" Dianamon tore through Lucemon's body, cutting him in half. Lucemon screamed as the two halves of his body hit the ground before they both disintegrated into small bits of data. Breathing heavily, Dianamon sat herself down on a nearby rock. "Well…that wasn't…so hard…"

"Dianamon…you shouldn't have pushed yourself," Apollomon said. "Thomas is right, you know…we're all running low on energy…"

"With Lucemon dead…how many does that leave us with?" BlackGaomon asked.

"Lucemon was the sixth to fall," I said. "We're halfway done."

"Who do we have left to kill?" Seraphimon asked.

"Generalmon, Horusmon, DeathPhantomon, Lupinemon, Cherubimon, and Lilithmon are all still out there. But with the other half gone, they're sure to be running low on strength."

"That does not mean we can take them lightly," Apollomon said. "Even with half of them gone…they are all still incredibly powerful…"

"Understood, sir," I said.

"I thought _you_ were in charge until I returned home," Apollomon smirked. In a mocking voice, he added, "Sir."

"I know how much you love bossing us all around," I said. "It doesn't feel right when it's the other way around. When we get home…you can get started right away. All of us have missed you doing it."

"Really? Even Statuedramon?" Dianamon asked.

"Especially him."

"Well, in that case, we'd better get started," Apollomon said. "We're all going to need a little help…"

"Hey, Andromon, are you hurt?" I asked.

"Feel pain, I do not," was his reply.

"In that case, can you help me carry these guys back?"

"Happy to, I would be."


	105. Return to the Mountains

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

**12 Hours**

Without having Lucemon with us to fly us around, our return home had taken longer than our journey to the mountains. With only Andromon and me to half-carry and half-drag the bodies of Apollomon, Dianamon, BlackGaomon, and Seraphimon, it was surprising to me that we found our way home as soon as we did.

Pheragas, Luna, Chrysania, Statuedramon, and Zelda all crowded around us as soon as we walked in. Pheragas effortlessly hefted both Seraphimon and Apollomon at once into the air with his massive arms, carefully setting them down on the couches in the living room as Andromon and I did the same for Dianamon and BlackGaomon.

"Lucemon has been killed," I said.

"Den ve ah half-finished vith dem!" Pheragas exclaimed.

"So, what happened to you guys up there?" Luna asked. Reaching into her cleavage, she pulled out a small, brown flask. "I've got a pain-killing vulnerary here if anyone needs it…"

"We were all buried in a rockslide…caused by Horusmon," Apollomon said. "It was after…we fled from Hydramon…Seraphimon found us…and then we were attacked…"

"_You were all buried the entire time we've been sitting here waiting for you to return_?!" Zelda exclaimed, her eyes wide with horror.

"You don't need to worry about it too much, love," Dianamon said. "Remember, the four of us are Digimon…we can endure things that you Humans cannot…"

"I berated Apollomon for making this large group separate," Seraphimon said. "Perhaps if he hadn't, we would not have been gone for so long…"

"Don't expect us to fight with you anytime soon, though," Apollomon said, ignoring Seraphimon. "It's been…over a week, right? I doubt any of us are in any condition to do any fighting…"

"Eh, you don't have to worry about any of that," Statuedramon said. "Thomas, Zelda, and I have been doing a good job of kicking all of their asses without you!"

"Really? Well then, why don't you take on the rest of the Order while we sit back and take a break?" Apollomon asked.

"What?! No! Damn it, that's not what I…oh, never mind!" Statuedramon looked away, pouting. "I was…I was going to do that anyway! Yeah. Uh-huh…"

"It shames me that I am unable to assist you now when you may need it the most," Seraphimon said.

"Don't worry about it; like Statuedramon said, we've been doing fine so far," I said. I stood up and left the room. At the front door stood Andromon, standing and waiting patiently by himself. "Are you ready?" I whispered. The Android Digimon nodded. "Good; then let's go."

"Hey, where are you going?" From behind me, Statuedramon tugged on my coat sleeve.

"Statch…We have to go out again."

"What for? You just got back, didn't you?" he asked.

"Something we must do, there is," Andromon said.

"This is something we'd prefer to do by ourselves," I said.

"What is it? Can't you at least tell me where you're going?" Statch asked.

"We're going back to the Black Rose Mountains. According to what Lucemon told us last night, Horusmon is farther up in the mountains from where Apollomon and the others were found. Andromon and I are going to find him and put an end to him."

"By _yourselves_?! Do you have any idea how strong that Digimon is?!"

"Yes, I do, and that's why I'm going with only Andromon," I replied.

"Feel pain, I cannot," Andromon said. "Feel exhaustion, I do not."

"Having someone like that around in a fight against someone like Horusmon would be…beneficial," I said. "And I'm not the kind of guy who lets his friends go off and fight when they're alone, so I'm going with him."

"Great! Count me in!" Statch said. I knelt down in front of the Rookie, looking him in the eyes.

"Statuedramon…you are not coming with us."

"…Thomas, you're one of the smartest people I know, a hell of a lot smarter than me, and calmer, and more patient. You always seem to know where you are, or what you're doing," Statuedramon said. "So, most of the time, I do not mind it when you act this way with me. But this time, I must ask; please, don't treat me like a child."

"Statch…"

"I'm over five-hundred years old, damn it! I can do things by myself, you know! But…I do them better when I'm with you, because…Because you're my best friend, Thomas! I don't want you two fighting that Horusmon by yourselves!"

"Statch…you're my best friend, too, and that's why I don't want—"

"I know! You don't want me to get hurt! But I'm still a Digimon! And even though I can't Digivolve like _other_ Digimon can, I can still take care of myself, and I can sure as hell make sure nothing happens to you or Andromon!"

"…Fine. You can come with us," I sighed. Smiling, I looked down at the ecstatic Rookie. _I don't know how…but somehow, I've never once won a _serious_ argument with this guy…_

"All right! Let's go, then!" Statch bolted out the door, with Andromon following slowly behind.

"…You're leaving again?" Zelda asked as I was about to leave. I turned to face her. Her eyes were filled with sorrow.

"…I'm sorry. Horusmon…is one of the strongest Digimon I have ever seen; he may even be stronger than Dynasmon and Gallantmon combined. I wouldn't…be able to live with myself if something happened to you," I said. "Pheragas and Luna are probably going to be real busy helping out Apollomon and the others. Just…just stay here and help them…"

"Okay. I will." Zelda smiled at me. "But you have to _promise_ me you'll all come home alive."

I leaned over slightly and kissed her. "We will," I said. "And when we get back…I'll fix up anything you want to eat, and as much as you want. I know it's been a while since I've cooked for you." I stared into her eyes one final time before turning around, closing the door behind me.

* * *

**9 Hours**

The trip up to the Black Rose Mountains didn't take nearly as long as our previous trip back home; the sun was still in the sky, though it was about to set. Not that it really mattered to us now, being in the permanently overcast mountains. It helped that Andromon and I didn't have four relatively large Digimon to carry between the two of us. The spot where Apollomon and the others were buried was soon in sight; as we walked up to it, I saw that the stains of Lucemon's blood on the ground and on the side of the cliff had yet to fade away.

"So, this is where it happened, huh?" Statch asked.

"Up ahead, Horusmon must be," Andromon said.

"If he's here at all," I said.

"…No. He's here," Andromon said. "Sense him, I can."

"Where is he?" I asked. Andromon's head tilted up; Statch and I did the same. The tall Mega Digimon stood above us on the edge of a cliff, looking down at us.

"…You know…I wasn't always an evil Digimon," was the first thing Horusmon said to us.


	106. Light of the Blue Dragon

**Statuedramon**

**Black Rose Mountains**

"…You know…I wasn't always an evil Digimon," Horusmon said, looking down at us from atop a steep cliff.

"You weren't?" I asked.

"…What happened to you?" Thomas asked. At the moment, I could tell that he wanted nothing more than to tear the wings off of that monster, but at the same time, he sounded partially intrigued by what Horusmon had said.

"I…am an Ancient God Digimon," Horusmon said. "My closest friend was a Digimon called Anubismon, a Digimon who is known as the Judge of the Dark Area; his job is to judge if the soul of a Human or Digimon who enters the Dark Area is evil or not. If they are evil, they are —for the most part — forever imprisoned in the Dark Area. If the Digimon was pure, then they are either reborn…or sent to heaven; whichever that soul would prefer."

"What about Humans?" The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them. "Can Humans…be reborn in the way Digimon are?"

"…No. They cannot. They are different from Digimon. Humans live only a single life."

_So…Victoria and Hannah…and Irene…won't be coming back…_

"One day, Anubismon fell violently ill. I had the opportunity to save him…but I didn't. I…betrayed him. My best friend…He would later die. Kind of ironic, isn't it? The judge of Digimon's life and death, and he himself would die…The two of us were part of a group of Digimon similar to the Order of the Enchantress serving Goddess Arcadia. When they learned of my betrayal of Anubismon…they cursed me. They condemned me to eternal darkness. You two…" Horusmon pointed at Statch and me. "Think back. Have you ever seen my right arm?"

"…No…you always kept it covered with your cloak when we fought in Lotisea," Thomas said. Horusmon nodded.

"My arm…it was my arm they cursed…my jurisdiction was over warfare, among other things. The fact that they chose my arm over my life was meant to be the greatest insult…Yet, I cannot help but laugh over it…" Horusmon moved his cloak and held out his right arm. It was large and misshapen, much larger than his left arm. It was also green. It was nauseating to look at, as if his entire arm was being infected by some bizarre parasite. "My arm is incapable of movement; it is simply…there. And yet…even with only one arm, I will be able to win. I have to…for Lilithmon's sake, and for the sake of the others who could not win!" Horusmon jumped down off the cliff, soaring down gracefully before lightly landing down on the ground before the three of us.

"We have to win; more so than you," I said. "The lives of our friends and thousands of innocent lives depend on our victory over the six of you."

"Then I suggest you come at me with everything you've got; do not hold anything back against me, because if you do, you can sure this will be the last fight of your lives! Ebon Flames of Purgatory!" Horusmon screeched. The Ancient God Digimon exhaled pitch-black flames from his beak; the attack shot past the tops of our heads, barely missing us as he dropped to the ground. "Thunderous Judgment of Mighty Osiris!" Huge bolts of lightning rained down on the land; miraculously, though, each one of them missed us, even Andromon, whose body was covered in metal. A bolt fell down upon me, but I had my shield raised, aimed skyward and prepared for the attack, which was immediately sucked into the mouth design on my shield.

"Sword of Dragon's Soul!" My sword fired a thick blast of yellow energy at Horusmon, slamming the now-airborne Mega into the face of a cliff. "Now, Andromon!"

"Gatling Attack!" Andromon's attack hit Horusmon dead on, creating a small landslide that buried the Mega Digimon up to his waist in boulders.

"Thomas, now's your chance!" Drawing his sword, the assassin ran as quickly as he could up to Horusmon. The edge of his blade was aimed directly at Horusmon's neck. _If he can just get there in time, before Horusmon heals himself…_

"Hathor's Gentle Embrace!" A phantasmal pair of women's arms wrapped themselves around Horusmon's chest just before Thomas arrived. Thomas swung his blade, aiming for Horusmon's neck, when the back of one of the arm's hands struck him across the face, knocking him back.

"_That _sure didn't feel very gentle..." Thomas quickly got back up, prepared to attack again, when Horusmon knocked away the pile of boulders he stood in simply by spreading his massive wings.

_Hey, one of those stupid hands from his attack just flipped me off!_

"If that is the best you can do, then surely this _is_ your final fight," Horusmon said. "Ebon Flames of Purgatory!" Horusmon's flames were aimed at Thomas, but at the last second, he was pulled out of the way by Andromon. Horusmon's attack swerved and then hit the Android Digimon, knocking him to the ground. Most of the metallic parts of his body were charred nearly black.

"You BASTARD!" I ran up to the Mega Digimon as he crossed his arms over his chest; huge bolts of lightning rained down from the sky once again, striking Thomas and me.

"In a place like this, where the clouds rumble with thunder…the power of that attack increases exponentially," Horusmon said. Like Andromon before us, Thomas and I had fallen to the ground from the sheer power and force of Horusmon's attack. "You are lucky to still be alive after that."

"Damn it…we can't…die here," Thomas said. "I promised Zelda…that we would all come back alive…"

"Then we'd better hurry up and kick this guy's ass, then," I said weakly. "I don't know how much longer I can fight…and I was only hit by _one_ attack…" I looked over at my two comrades. "Hey…how are you holding up, Andromon?"

"Better days, I have had…"

"Thunderous Judgment of Mighty Osiris!" More and more bolts of lightning fell from the sky; each and every one of them missed us. Slowly but surely, Thomas picked himself up off the ground. Tightly gripping the hilt of his sword, he dashed up to Horusmon, only to have the Mega Digimon knee him in the stomach before punching him in the face. Once more, he hit the ground, his face a bloody mess.

"Thomas…Thomas! Answer me, jackass!" No reply came. _Damn it…damn it!_

"Ebon Flames of Purgatory!" A stream of black flames rushed over my head and hit Andromon.

"ANDROMON!" The Ultimate Digimon did not appear to be hit by the flames so much as he was surrounded by them. "Damn it…is this…it? Is this the end…?" Horusmon stood above me.

"You're next."

"I…I've let everyone down," I said, more to myself than anyone else. Horusmon crossed his arms over his chest. "If I was able to Digivolve like regular Digimon…we would've won by now…Thomas and Andromon wouldn't be…"

"Thunderous Judgment of Mighty Osiris!"

_I really _am_ just an idiot Digimon in the way…I'm sorry…Thomas…_ Horusmon's attack hit me. I was immediately blinded by a bright, blue light. _Blue…light? Horusmon's attack wasn't blue…maybe…have I died?_ I could feel myself slowly rise up into the air. _Heh…guess I did…_ The blue light dimmed. I could see myself in the air. Horusmon stood, craning his neck and looking up at me. I looked down at myself. My own body was emitting the blue light I saw before. _Man, do _I _feel like hell…does that mean I'm still alive?_

"What are you doing?" Horusmon asked. I looked down at him.

_Oh…I'm _not _dead…_ The dark clouds parted. A bolt of blue lightning fell from the heavens and hit me. I closed my eyes and flinched. I was struck by lightning, but it didn't hurt. It…actually felt good. Warm. Powerful. It filled me with courage…the courage to do whatever I needed to do to protect my friends. My eyes opened. I glared down at Horusmon. "Horusmon! Your end has come! Prepare to feel the _true_ lightning of judgment!" Horusmon gazed up at me; his eyes were wide with terror. "Statuedramon…Warp Digivolve to…Azulongmon!"


	107. The Seventh Star Falls from the Sky

**Azulongmon**

**Black Rose Mountains**

"Horusmon! Your end has come! Prepare to feel the _true_ lightning of judgment!" Horusmon gazed up at me; his eyes were wide with terror. "Statuedramon…Digivolve to…Azulongmon!"

"…Azulongmon?" Horusmon's beak hung agape; his expression was a mix of awe and fear. Looking at myself, I could hardly blame him, were I in his position; to me, he was but a tiny insect in proportion. It felt as though my new body could stretch out for miles.

_Digivolution…I…I have done it! I've done it!_ Thomas and Andromon were now both looking up at me.

"…I told you you could do it. I _knew_ you would Digivolve someday," Thomas said. "So…how does it feel?"

"I…feel _invincible_," I said breathlessly. "I can feel the power flowing through me…more power than I've ever felt in my entire life!"

"You…you are one of…_his_ servants," Horusmon said.

"What do you mean? I am nobody's servant," I said. Who_ did he mean? Well, that's not important._ "Horusmon! Your time is up!"

Horusmon lowered his head. "…Hold nothing back. I am ready to go. I…am ready to see Anubismon."

My long, serpentine body coiled into a circle; a huge mass of electrical energy began to well from within me. "Aurora Force!" I let loose the energy I had gathered; Horusmon was annihilated in an instant. As he lay on the ground, dying, all of the power and energy I had felt suddenly left me without any warning. I turned from Azulongmon back into Statuedramon, landing on the ground next to Horusmon. "Hey, Horusmon! What did you mean when you said I was 'his servant?' Who are you talking about?"

"Heh…wouldn't _you_ like to know…"

"Yeah, hence the question, dumbass!" Horusmon smirked and closed his eyes. He faded away without saying another word. _Damn it; what did he mean?!_

"Don't worry about it too much, Statch," Thomas said. "You aren't anyone's 'servant.' You are your own person."

"…Yeah." I looked at Thomas and Andromon; both were covered in blood and gashes from our battle. "So, how did I look up there? Was I as majestic as I felt?"

"I'm having trouble putting it into words," Thomas laughed. "You were really…really…big. And blue. I…do not know how else to describe it…But you looked _really_ awesome!"

I smirked. "Of _course_; how_ else_ would you expect me to look?" I looked down at the spot where Horusmon had died. "So, that makes seven we've defeated…"

"With only five left, they're sure to be running low on strength," Thomas said.

"Be cautious, we must," Andromon said. "Still dangerously powerful, the others are."

"Yeah; they're all Mega level Digimon. We can't let our guard down around them."

"If I can just figure out how to Digivolve again, then we won't have to worry about those bastards!" I said.

"You may be right; you attacked Horusmon just after he had healed himself, so he was basically killed in a single attack," Thomas said. "If you really _can_ remember how to Digivolve when we fight the others, then we _might_ have nothing to worry about."

"What the hell do you mean, '_might_?!' You don't actually think I'd _lose _to them, do you?!"

"There's always a chance _any_ of us could die. Statch, you always talk about how strong Apollomon is, but he was buried in a landslide for over a week by one of those Digimon."

"…Yeah…I guess you're right…But I'm still going to try! Digivolving to my Mega Level might be the only way we can win against them!"

"I'll be right beside you the entire time," Thomas said.

"With you, I will go," Andromon added.

"Thanks, guys," I said.

* * *

**Lupinemon**

_And so, the seventh star falls from the sky, plunging into the depths of the underworld…Horusmon…I do hope you will be reunited with Anubismon on the other side._

From atop the cliff where I stood, my gaze turned from the spot of Horusmon's final moments to Thomas and his friends. _Thomas…please, do not judge me when we next meet. That being said, I'm sure you will. I certainly wouldn't blame you…after what I did to you and your friends…But, if I'm to pick a side of this war to be on, then it may as well be the one that will win…and the one where I may actually be treated with respect…Oh, how I long to be treated as an equal, rather than vermin…How _dare_ they all accuse me of being an Exalted Beast?! Even if they are right…even though they spared me and saved my life hundreds of years ago back when I was a Salamon, and allowed me to join them, I cannot stay with them. They would just as soon kill me if it benefited them, anyway…and I know _they_ never would. Thomas…I will see you soon._

* * *

**Thomas Kasuto**

**9 Hours**

The sun had been in the sky for only a few hours by the time we returned home, hungry and tired from our long march through the desert. When we reached the front lawn, we could see Luna and Zelda, sitting on the porch and patiently waiting for our return. Upon noticing us, Zelda stood up and ran across the lawn to me, throwing her small arms tightly around me.

"Welcome home," she said.

"…Sorry we were gone for so long," I replied. The two of us strolled hand in hand up to the front porch, followed by Statuedramon and Andromon. "Horusmon is dead. And Statuedramon…he was finally successful."

"What did he do? Did he finally say something remotely intelligent? Or, did he perchance refuse an offer of food?" Luna asked. Noticing the blood on my face from when Horusmon hit me earlier, she reached over and attempted to wipe it off. A look of disappointment crossed her face when she realized that it had long since dried. I was simply glad she made no attempt to lick the blood off my face; though, I had this uneasy feeling the thought was running wild in her mind as she nervously bit her lip while staring unblinkingly at the dried blood.

"No, Bellaluna, I Digivolved," Statuedramon said. His smile was so broad; I was certain it made his face hurt.

"Oh, that's wonderful! I knew you could do it!" Zelda exclaimed. "So, what did you become?"

"I Digivolved into this _really_ huge dragon; I felt as though my body could stretch on and on for miles! He was called Azulongmon!"

"Azulongmon…I feel like I've heard that name before," Luna muttered.

Statch looked up at her, alarmed. "Where?" he asked. "Where have you heard that name before?!"

"I don't know; it just sounds…familiar," Luna said. "Why do you ask?"

Statch looked down at the ground. "Horusmon…when he saw me after Digivolving, he said I was somebody's servant. He didn't ever tell me who…It's really starting to bother me. Who did he mean?"

"I doubt he meant anything by it; he was probably just trying to scare you," Luna said.

"Yeah, that's what Thomas said. But…I'm not so sure…"

"Regardless, try not to think too hard about it; we wouldn't want you to sprain anything." Statch stuck his tongue out at the sorceress. "I don't know anything about a Digimon called Azulongmon, but I can at least get you something for all these cuts."

The Rookie Digimon looked down at himself; his arms were covered in wounds, new and old, large and small. For several of the older ones, he had refused treatment, and he spoke of them in a fond manner, like they were badges of honor.

"I think I'll pass on that offer for now. I just want to get some sleep now," Statch yawned.

"Suit yourself." Statuedramon smiled at her before walking into the villa, tripping on the bottom stair as he headed upstairs. "How 'bout you two? You both look pretty beat up."

"Be fine, I believe I shall, but gladly will I accept any help you are willing to give," Andromon said. The Android Digimon followed Luna into the villa, leaving Zelda and me alone on the porch.

"Thank you," Zelda whispered.

"Huh? What are you thanking me for? What did I do?" I asked.

"Thank you…for keeping your promise," she said. "For coming back. All of you."

"I wouldn't have abandoned you like that. I'll always come back…and I'll always be with you." Zelda smiled. I loved her charming smile. So pure and beautiful…whenever I saw it, it made all of my worries disappear.

"Let's go in, shall we? I've still got another promise I made to you that I'd like to keep."

Zelda looked up at me. "You…you do?"

"I promised I'd cook for you when I came back, didn't I? Anything you'd like, as much as you'd like…Did you forget?"

Zelda shook her head, smiling at me. "My stomach's been growling in anticipation ever since you told me you would. I just didn't want to bother you about it in case you were tired…"

"Well, I'd better get started, then. I know better than to disappoint _your_ stomach." I softly poked her in the middle of her exposed belly, making her laugh shyly.

"I…I'm not _that_ bad…am I?"

* * *

**1 Hour**

The sun had now risen to the middle of the sky, or close to it, based on the amount of light that shone in from the windows. I was a lot more exhausted than I realized, and I had nearly fallen asleep while preparing Zelda's breakfast. It was at that point that she told me I had made enough for her.

…_She's always so thoughtful,_ I thought. _She never thinks about herself. It doesn't matter if she feels bad or if she's bummed out about other stuff, she always thinking about everyone else before herself…_ But I knew her. She was half Digimon. She had inherited a Digimon's voracious appetite from one of her ancestors, and I _knew_ that what I _had_ actually made would _not_ have been enough to satiate her hunger. Regardless, she pushed her chair back from the kitchen table and began slowly rubbing her stomach. _She's pretending to be full so I won't tire myself out any more than I already have. She really is the sweetest…_ I looked at her from the couch I sat on and smiled. "Did you enjoy it?"

"Oh, yes! I just _love_ your cooking, Thomas! You're the _best_!" She smiled radiantly at me from across the room.

"And you're _sure_ you got enough? I can make you more, if you'd like."

"No, no, trust me; I am _stuffed_. I'm sure I'd burst if I ate anymore," she said insistently. I knew she was lying, though. She always twirled her hair around her finger whenever she lied. "You should be careful, though; if you start cooking for me like that, I may actually start to gain some weight, because I _know_ I wouldn't be able to control myself."

"Well, you're really tiny; I'm always worried the wind will blow you away when we're out. A few pounds would definitely be healthy for you." Her smile widened, and was reinforced with a cute, nervous flush to her cheeks after her stomach let out a rather audible growl.

"But…if I _did_—"

"Then there would just be more of you to love." After a moment's silence, Zelda walked out of the kitchen and sat down next to me.

"Thomas…you're always so kind to me," she said. "I know you told me I don't have to go through life the way I did before I came here…when everyone I met feared me and loathed me…But sometimes…sometimes, I just can't help but wonder if I really do deserve you…"

"…I know. I know you can't help thinking that way after being used to it. But, Zelda…you deserve all the happiness in the world. I…should be the one asking if _I_ deserve _you_…not the other way around. I _am_ an assassin, after all…" Closing her eyes, Zelda leaned over and rested her head on my chest, with her hand — the one that carried the Mark — resting just above my heart. I gently stroked the back of her head, carefully running my fingers through her lush, golden hair. _I never want this moment to end…_ At that moment, there was a knock on the front door. _Oh, _that_ fucking figures!_ Reluctantly, Zelda and I got up and walked to the front door.

"Wait; what if it's one of _them_?" Zelda whispered as I placed my hand on the doorknob.

"…They _are_ the only ones who know we're here," I said. "Stand back." Unsurprisingly, Zelda stepped closer to me, insistently placing her hands around my arm. "You know, for being so shy, you can be pretty stubborn," I said. Zelda gave me a hurt look, albeit a fake one. I smiled slightly at her. "It _is_ kinda cute, though." Slowly and nervously, I opened the door.

"Took you long enough." The woman standing on the other side of the door looked around casually. "Nice place you've got here. Except for the burned down lawn, which, I understand, was Hydramon's fault."

"You…you're…" Zelda's hands trembled around my arm.

"Linoan…" I stared at the woman in blank shock.


	108. The Seventh is Made Up of Phantomons

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

"Linoan…"

"Oh, so you remember my name, huh? Guess you _aren't_ a big shot like the others say," Linoan said. She let herself in and strode right past Zelda and me, still casually looking around. "Seriously, though, this is one _bitchin'_ house! I could piss myself just standing in it…"

"Linoan…what are you doing here?" my voice nearly failed me.

"Huh? Oh, I left the Order of the Enchantress, so I came here to help you kill them all. OH MY GOD, YOU GUYS EVEN HAVE WALLPAPER! THIS PLACE IS FUCKING AWESOME!"

"Wait…Linoan, slow down," Zelda said. "Why…why did you leave them?"

"And how do we even know you really left them in the first place?" I added.

"Well, they — Generalmon especially — were all being dicks, so I — Oh, hang on." Linoan suddenly plopped down on the floor, landing on her rear. Raising her left leg, she scratched the back of her head, behind her ear, with her foot.

…_Methinks she be not entirely used to her Human body…She seems to be forgetting she's wearing a skirt…_

"Ahh, much better. Anyway, the other members of the Order were all being assholes, so I just left them. Simple as that."

"You seem very…casual…about all of this," Zelda noted.

Linoan shrugged. "I'm just a casual gal, milady. Oh, and I'm also housebroken, so you won't need to train me for when I join your group."

"You're _joining_ us?!" I asked.

"Sure, why not? You don't have a problem with me or something, do ya?"

"YOU TRIED TO MURDER US!"

"Oh, yeah…Okay, I _guess_ I can understand how that would cause a _little_ bit of tension between us…"

"A _little_?! You—"

"Oh, come now; no need to be so harsh. Just pretend I'm your little sister, or something, and we'll get along fine," Linoan giggled. "You wouldn't _weally_ make dis adorable wittle girl sweep outside, aw awone in the cold, would you?"

"I'd make you sleep outside no matter which form you'd take, _Lupinemon_," I said. "Or, if you'd prefer, I can make you sleep with the fishes!"

"Aw, pweeeeeease, big bwother! Don't make me sweep with the scawy fishies! I'll be good; I pwoooomise!"

"Oh, for the love of the goddess…" I said. Linoan was laughing uncontrollably, and had almost fallen over. "Zelda…what should we do?" She looked slightly taken aback by my question.

"I…Do you think we should ask Apollomon?" she asked quietly. "He and the others have been sleeping for a while, now; I don't wish to wake them…Maybe Luna or Pheragas?"

"They're all sleeping…maybe we should wait a little bit…"

"Oh, come on, what's the big deal?" Linoan asked. "You let that Andromon guy join you, right?"

"_Andromon_ didn't try to…kill…oh…"

"See what I mean? I promise, I won't try to kill you again," Linoan said, more calmly.

"You're still _that_ Digimon under that Human's skin," I said.

"I'm not _that_ bad. I don't bite; I don't even have fleas. Actually, as I am now, I'm not that different as I am when I'm a Digimon…except I don't have a tail…Oh, and I've got a pretty good pair of_ these_!" Linoan lifted up her shirt, showing her breasts to us. Zelda turned, red-faced, to face me, and opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

"…Well…okay…then…Um…Zelda? What do you think? Should we ask Apollomon?" I asked.

"…Even the wolf's are bigger than mine," Zelda said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Zelda!"

"O-Oh! I-I'm sorry! Um…What…do you think…Apollomon…would say?" Zelda whispered after a moment.

"…Knowing Apollomon as well as I do…I can say — without _any_ shadow of a doubt — that he would have accepted her in a _heartbeat_ after _that_…"

"Does that mean I'm in?!" Linoan asked excitedly, letting her shirt fall back down after looking down at her breasts for a while.

"I have a feeling I already know the answer, but I'll ask anyway. Zelda, what would you do?"

"…I want to help her," she replied. "Tommy…didn't you tell me you couldn't refuse a girl with a bare midriff when we first met?"

"Oh…yes, well…" I nervously cleared my throat and glanced at Linoan, making an honest attempt to not stare at her belly. The woman was gazing at the two of us expectantly, her golden eyes shimmering brightly. _Ugh! Me and my stupid midriff fetish…_and_ navel fetish…_

"…I'm sorry…I just don't have it in me to turn my back on others…" Zelda said.

I placed my hand over her shoulder. "That's nothing to be ashamed of," I said. "That's how we met, remember?" Zelda nodded. "If you want to help her…then we'll help her."

"Are you sure?" Zelda asked. "If I'm wrong—"

"Then it wouldn't be your fault," I said. "Linoan…we'll help you."

"HORAAAAY!" Linoan jumped up and down; her enthusiasm reminded me of Chrysania. "Thank you, 'big brother'!"

"…Don't call me that," I whispered. "Only Chrysania and Irene are allowed to call me that."

"Oh…are you saying I'm not cute enough to be your wittle sister?" Linoan gazed at me; it would have almost been piteous if it weren't for the fact that she was trying very hard to unsuccessfully stifle her laughter.

"Well, first of all, you're taller _and_ older than me," I replied. "And second of all…you aren't either of them, so you can't. Also, you're a wolf…it wouldn't make much sense if I were to refer to you as a relative."

"Don't think of me as a big, scary wolf; think of me as a puppy!" Linoan said. "Want me to wag my tail while you rub my tummy?"

…_There is something _seriously_ wrong with this Digimon…_

"A… a puppy?!" Zelda looked up at me; her eyes were shimmering in an adorably piteous manner. "Can we keep her?"

"Well, whatever. I'm in, right?"

"…I…" I looked down at the floor. _What should I say?_

"I can take you to DeathPhantomon if you'd like," Linoan offered.

"…You mean…you know where he is?!" Zelda asked.

"Mmmmmmost likely…"

"Thomas, we have to go with her!" Zelda exclaimed.

"Why do we have to…Oh…Flamedramon."

"If we can find DeathPhantomon, we'll be able to free Flamedramon! Please, Thomas; you have to let me go with her!"

"…You know I wouldn't let you go alone with someone like that, right?" I asked. "I'm going with you."

"But, Thomas…you need to rest…"

"I'll be okay. I've gone for three days without sleeping before; I'll be fine," I said.

"He isn't too far away," Linoan said. "We can kill that pervert and be back in time for lunch."

"…Very well. Lead the way, Lupinemon," I said.

"You might want to wake up a few of your friends first," Linoan said. "DeathPhantomon may be a colossal pervert, but he is _very_ powerful."

"We'll be fine. _You_ are with us, after all." Linoan looked slightly taken aback, but she smiled at me.

"…Thank you." Linoan became enclosed in a golden light; where she once stood was a large, golden wolf. "Follow me."

* * *

**20 Minutes**

In her wolf form, Lupinemon had led us somewhat north of our house to a flat terrain, covered in rocks and dust. Everything, including the sky, was grey. I wasn't sure exactly where she had taken us, but, based on the landscape, it looked as though we were close to the Black Rose Mountains.

"This is DeathPhantomon's favorite place to be," Lupinemon said. "He claims it's easier to scare his victims in a place like this."

"…Makes sense…" A small breeze ran past us, sending a chill down my spine. Zelda huddled closer to me, taking my hand in hers. Lupinemon's nose was up in the air. Every now and then, she would move her head.

"…Can't find him," she growled. "Guess he isn't here…"

"…Lupinemon…DeathPhantomon said he locked Flamedramon in an eternal nightmare," Zelda whispered gently. "Do you think…if we beat DeathPhantomon…will we be able to free Flamedramon?"

"That'd be _my_ guess. Unfortunately, I'm not too familiar with DeathPhantomon's hexes and curses," Lupinemon said. "I know for _sure_ that he wouldn't be stuck that way, though. There's no need to worry, dear." Zelda looked down at the Mega Digimon and smiled. She leaned down and placed her arm over the Digimon's back.

"Thank you. Thank you…for coming with us, Lupinemon…"

"…I should be thanking you…You let me join your group when I had nowhere else to go…" Lupinemon began to happily wag her tail.

_Zelda…there's just something about you that makes everyone around you want to protect you…_ Lupinemon's ears perked up. She bared her fangs and growled. "What is it?" I asked.

"He's here." Lupinemon looked up at me. "DeathPhantomon is here!"

"Dearest Lupinemon…thou hast turned traitor, have thee?" The phantasmal Digimon materialized in front of us. His single red eye seemed to be fixated solely on Zelda as he spoke, or rather, her chest. When she noticed, she shyly cowered behind me, much to the Dark Ghost Digimon's disappointment.

"Of _course_ I turned traitor; you didn't expect me to stay, did you?!" Lupinemon growled.

"…I suppose not. It be only the natural order of life for the Beasts of Exalt to side against the demons of the netherworld," DeathPhantomon sighed. The Digimon snapped his clammy gray fingers, and a large scythe, adorned with a skull near its blade, appeared in his hand, which he brandished menacingly.

"How _dare_ you accuse me of being an _Exalted Beast_ of all things?!" Lupinemon asked.

"I dare because I know it to be true!" DeathPhantomon snapped. "Accustomed as thou art to darkness, thou couldst never hope to be a true denizen of the shadows! That radiant light thou art emitting shalt be mine proof!"

"Nocturne of Wolf's Howl!" Lupinemon let loose an ear-splitting howl that shook the land and the sky. She leapt into the air at DeathPhantomon, her fangs bared, but the Dark Ghost Digimon swerved his cloth body out of the way and struck Lupinemon to the ground with the back of his scythe.

"Thou shalt be…_exterminated_…later," DeathPhantomon said. Turning to face Zelda and me, he said, "These two are of greater concern to me." Zelda reached into her satchel, and I drew my sword. "You two…somehow, the two of you together have been the cause of the deaths of many in the Order…But that shalt end now…You two shalt deal with the ire of the strongest of my squads of loyal servants. Now, my Seventh Squad; join me!" All around him, numerous Phantomon Digimon appeared from nowhere.

"_All_ of them…are Phantomon," I said. "This could be bad; that Digimon is pretty strong…"

"As lightless oblivion devours thee, drown in the infinite darkness that absorbs even time!" DeathPhantomon roared. I gripped the hilt of my sword tightly as the ten Phantomon flew toward us, each of their scythes aimed at our necks, just as Lupinemon jumped back up into the air, striking down and killing each of the Phantomon in a single bound. The golden wolf landed in front of us, staring down DeathPhantomon. DeathPhantomon's eye narrowed; not in contempt, or even hatred. It was more a look of boredom, or arrogance.

"DeathPhantomon…you will not leave this place alive," Lupinemon growled.

"Oh, I beg to differ; Scythe of Soul's Harvest!" DeathPhantomon and Lupinemon lunged at and past each other. The blade of DeathPhantomon's scythe became slathered with blood. Lupinemon hit the ground. A huge, gaping wound in the middle of her neck allowed blood to pass freely through onto the ground.

"LUPINEMON!" Zelda ran over to the dying Digimon's body.

"…Heh…sorry…looks like…I won't be joining…your group…after all…"

"LUPINEMON! LUPINEMON, NO!"

Lupinemon closed her eyes one final time, and disappeared. Zelda angrily turned to face DeathPhantomon; her face and eyes were wet with tears. The Spirit Gallantmon appeared behind her.

"The pain my lady feels…I feel as well," Gallantmon said, pointing the tip of his spear directly at DeathPhantomon's chest. "You shall pay…for making her cry!"

"You'll have to be more specific," DeathPhantomon said. "It seems as though she cries a lot…"

"Royal Saber!" DeathPhantomon was struck by a blast of Gallantmon's lightning; however, the Dark Ghost did not falter.

"Mirage of Darkness!" DeathPhantomon shrouded himself in darkness that soon faded; in his place stood the Digimon Kentaurosmon, one of the few Digimon rumored to be equal in power to both Gallantmon and Dynasmon. "Inferno Frost!" Gallantmon was shot through the chest by several arrows, and he vanished instantly. Kentaurosmon faded away, and DeathPhantomon returned. "Now, for you two…"

"Give…Flamedramon…_back_!" Zelda shouted, speaking louder than I had ever heard her. DeathPhantomon chuckled.

"Welcome to My Nightmare!" DeathPhantomon's eye began shining brightly. It was the last thing I noticed before losing consciousness.


	109. Eternal Nightmare

**Thomas Kasuto**

It had been the most dreadful sight I had ever been witness to. Every time I closed my eyes, I would somehow find my eyes open once more. Every time I turned away, it would always end up in front of me. I had at first tried to stop it, tried to fight against him, but my hands went through their spectral bodies. I was nauseated by my own powerlessness, even though I knew what I saw was merely a vision of the past, and could never hope to be changed. After what felt to be an eternity of being forced to watch her fight back powerlessly, Clive stood up and looked down at Victoria's forcefully stripped, sixteen-year old body.

"That wasn't very fun," he said. "You didn't scream like the others."

"I…I would not give you…that satisfaction," Victoria said in a shaky voice. Her pale face was awash with anguish and blood. With an annoyed look on his face, Clive kicked Victoria in the stomach, shoving the tip of his steel-toed boot in as deeply as he could. Several loud snaps denoted that he broke a few ribs. The pain in my heart made it feel as if it were being torn to pieces. I couldn't help her. I couldn't do anything to stop it. I vomited. It began to rain. I hadn't the slightest clue where I was, but the streetlight that shone upon Victoria's gruesome rape indicated we were in a desert city. I didn't care, though. All I cared about was revenge. I knew Clive was dead in the present, but all I cared about was making him hurt. Victoria began to cry, her tears mixing with the rain and the blood. Clive began to walk away.

"Next time…I'll make you scream," Clive said. "It'll hurt a hell of a lot more than tonight, though. Be prepared."

"Horrible, isn't it?" I looked behind.

"_DEATHPHANTOMON!_"

"Nice of thou to remember me," DeathPhantomon said. Against my better judgment, I drew my sword and attacked the Mega Digimon. Just as it did with Clive, my weapon went right through him. "How cruel it must have been…being forced to watch something like that happen to the only person thou couldst hope call family. The event left her impregnated with her first child, did it not? Yes, her first child, Michalis…How ironic that she would be murdered by her first child while she was carrying her second. Wouldst thou agree?"

"YOU BASTARD! RELEASE FROM THIS NIGHTMARE ME AT ONCE!"

"…I wonder…how wouldst thou react…if the same were to happen to the woman thou art in love with now?" I glared at him. DeathPhantomon pointed at the streetlight where Victoria had been raped. A shrill scream filled the air.

"…Why…why are you doing this?" I asked him. DeathPhantomon moved in front of me, his face not two inches from mine. His glowing, red eye seemed to blind me.

"Because I _can_!" The Dark Ghost moved from my line of sight, and forced me to watch the same rape occur again, only with Zelda in place of Victoria. Unlike Victoria, she was screaming.

* * *

**Zelda**

…_Am I…home? In Adonis?_ I looked around the house I stood in. Everything looked the same as it did the day Hannah and I left. The living room, where I stood, had only a single chair, where my mother had always drank herself into an irate stupor. My heart trembled. This home, which had so many bad memories…I never thought I'd set foot in it again. I sighed. _This…this is only a dream…perhaps…Maybe…Mother won't be here after all…? But that means Anna won't, either…_ The angry slamming of a door shook me out of my thoughts. An angry woman holding a very sharp knife stood outside of the living room. "M—mother?!"

"What in the hell ish _you_ lookin' at, you ungrateful…" My mother's breath reeked of alcohol, and she staggered back and forth in a dizzying manner into the room. Her huge belly, swollen and inflated from the heavy drinking she had been doing since my birth, entered the room before she did. It shook with each unsteady step she took, and popped out from the bottom of a small and very tight shirt that didn't even come close to her navel. "What're you…you ungrateful…lil' bitch, you?"

"Mother…I…" I looked down at myself. I was still nineteen years old. I wore the same desert attire I had worn when I first met Thomas, though I was barefoot. I reached up and ran my fingers across my face, under my right eye. There wasn't a scar. "What's going on? Mother, I thought…I thought you were dead…"

"Yeah, you'd…you'd like that, wouldn't you?! _Filthy half-breed cunt_!" My mother shoved me, knocking me down to the ground. She forcefully flipped me over with her foot so that I was lying on my tummy. She held up the knife she held and placed its blade on the back of my right hand. She was kneeling on top of me. Her knees dug into the backs of mine, sending terribly sharp pains down my legs and to my toes. Her flabby gut plopped down heavily onto the back of my head. "Today's the day we…we _finally_ get rid of that…that ugly Mark!" I tried pulling my hand away, but Mother tightly grabbed my wrist and held my arm in place. Just as she did every other time she tried this. My left arm was trapped under my own body at an uncomfortable angle that I was certain could have left it dislocated.

"W—where's…Anna?"

"Your pathetic _shister_ is recovering from…from…already having the Mark of hersh cut off! Now, hold shtill!" Mother held my arm out painfully to the side and pressed her full weight on it to prevent me from fleeing. I begged; I cried. She did not respond. I tried as hard as I could to get up and run, but my mother's constant, heavy drinking had caused her to gain a considerable amount of weight, the majority of which wobbled over the front her belt. The 290-pound woman smiled in cruel, drunken delight as she cut the skin off the back of my hand, and began to laugh when she heard my cries of pain. She finally climbed off of me, holding the skin of my hand up to the light of the sun, looking at it with pride. Through my tears, I looked at the back of my heavily bleeding hand. Through all the blood, I could still see the Mark. Unfortunately, she noticed as well. "You…you think this is fucking _funny_?!"

"M…mother…please…I…I didn't _mean_—"

"SHUT UP!" Angrily, pulled me across the carpeted floor haphazardly, leaving my belly and thighs covered in carpet burns. She pulled me up and slammed me against the wall, where she slapped me across the face. I raised my hand to where she had hit me; it stung. Once more, she slapped me. Tears of fright were falling steadily down my face.

…_Thomas…please…help me…Tommy…Anna…Statch…_

"How _dare_ you do thish to me?! How dare you continue to embarrash me like thish! Your own _mother_! Stupid…worthless…ugly…_slut_…of a daughter!" With each insult, she slapped me again and again.

…_Apollomon…Gallantmon…Anybody…_

"Wretched half-breed! Idiot whore! You don't deserve to live!" The one name I never thought I'd say again entered my mind as my mother's slaps to the face turned to punches.

…_Daddy…Where are you…daddy? _Who_…are you…?_ One more time, she slapped me; the jagged fingernail of her thumb cut through my skin, leaving a thin gash underneath my right eye. I fell to the floor, crying, bruised, and bleeding, and yet my mother did not relent. _Tommy…please…don't leave me…please don't make me go back to this!_ She removed her belt, and began beating me with it. For a while, this continued, until she finally passed out drunk, leaving me alone in a corner, bleeding and crying. _Tommy…please…don't…leave me…all alone…with her…_I looked up. Above my mother's unconscious body hovered DeathPhantomon. I sniffled. "D—DeathPhantomon…why…is this…happening? Is this…a dream? Or…is this…really happening again?"

"Even _I_ cannot reverse the flow of time," DeathPhantomon said. "I simply show each of thee what thou doth not wish to happen most of all…I show thee thy most painful memories and thoughts brought real." I felt a dreadful rumble in the pit of my stomach. I clutched my head. "Sometimes, I must improvise, it seems; verily, have I shown Thomas what he never wished to see…but alas, he was not present for the event."

"MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE, JUST MAKE IT STOP…" I wailed and sobbed uncontrollably.

"That be the one thing I cannot do," DeathPhantomon said. "This be simply too much fun!" DeathPhantomon's eerie, hollow laughter filled the air. I screamed.

* * *

**Flamedramon**

I felt an unseeable hand stroke my face, the last thing I remember before becoming completely surrounded by the darkness once more. I opened my eyes. I lay on my back in the middle of an unfamiliar landscape, gray and filled with rocks. Abigail was on the ground next to me, gently stroking the side of my face. My head was resting comfortably in her lap.

"…Abigail…You…"

"I'm glad you're feeling better," she whispered softly. Her eyes were filled with concern, but her cherry red lips parted in a smile.

"…How…did you…"

"Heh. Come, now; you _do_ remember what I am, right?" Abigail asked.

"Yes…you are…a Bio Hybrid…"

"I've spent enough time with Lilithmon before abandoning that old whore to know how to traipse around in the shadows," she laughed. "I was shocked when I found you, but I'm glad I did." I smiled up at her.

"…Me…too…" She placed her cool hand against the side of my face.

"That…wasn't a dream. It was…just an unpleasant memory," I said.

"Well, whatever it was, I'm glad I got you out of it," Abigail said. "…I'm…sorry. I just…disappeared before you all went to fight Lilithmon a month ago…"

"No need to concern yourself over that," I smiled at her. "You…did not wish to go. Where I in your position, I doubt I'd have been able to do go."

"So, how did it happen? How'd you end up there?"

"…I was fighting a Digimon called DeathPhantomon. I don't remember exactly what happened; he used the darkness and made himself look like you. That's the last thing I remember…"

"DeathPhantomon…is he that big, ugly Digimon that's staring at us?" I looked to where Abigail was pointing.

"Yes, that's him." I smiled at Abigail. I glanced back up at DeathPhantomon and jumped up, placing myself between him and her. "Abigail, stand back! This one…he's—"

"Thou means to fight against the darkness?" DeathPhantomon asked. "Thou art a fool!"

"_You're_ the fool!" Abigail snapped, pulling out her Digivice from her cleavage. "Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioLadyDevimon! Black Wing!" BioLadyDevimon's left hand turned to a spear, which she then jabbed at DeathPhantomon's head; however, the Mega Digimon was faster, and he swung his scythe, catching the Bio Hybrid's attack before it could hit him.

"What hope dost thou have of winning?!" DeathPhantomon asked. "Neither of you be Mega Level Digimon!"

"Oh, I guess you haven't heard of me, then," I said. "You see…I've killed hundreds of Mega Digimon in my lifetime, back when I was driven by thoughts of revenge. Killing _you_ will be a piece of cake." DeathPhantomon's eye narrowed. "…I _also_ happen to know…that I am a descendant of the very Flamedramon who slayed you five hundred years ago. His blood, and his very life, rests within me."

"N—no…I can't…_can't_…be defeated! The Order cannot afford another loss—"

"Flame Fist!" I unleashed a thick wave of flames from my claws at the cloaked Digimon. He became completely ignited in an instant, and began screaming, trying to extinguish the flames.

"Black Wing!" BioLadyDevimon's attack hit him through the chest, and through the pendant he wore around what I assumed was his neck. He screamed one final time, and faded away into darkness, dead. "So sorry, DeathPhantomon. You were just _way_ too dangerous for us to go easy on."

"…And now…he's finally dead." I smiled, sitting down on the ground, worn out.

"Are you okay?" BioLadyDevimon turned back into her Human form and sat down next to me.

"…I wonder what those kids are doing," I said. "I was…protecting them…when DeathPhantomon sealed me in darkness…" Without warning, two shadows formed on the ground in front of us. In the middle of them were two Human figures. "Wait a minute…"

"That's them, right?!" Abigail asked, standing up. I ran over to the two figures. Thomas and Zelda both now lay unconscious on the ground.


	110. The Next Awakening

**Thomas Kasuto**

After being surrounded by darkness for so long, I was finally able to open my eyes. Not that the grey sky and grey landscape was much better, though. The first person I saw was Abigail; she knelt down beside me on the ground, cradling me in her arms and trying to wake me up as Flamedramon did the same for Zelda. The two of us lay less than an arm's length apart.

"You're awake," she said breathlessly. "Flamedramon, he's awake!"

"Zelda's coming to, as well," Flamedramon said, speaking in his normally less enthusiastic tone of voice.

"Abigail…you're…alive?" I asked groggily.

"Thomas, I am insulted. What else would you expect from a Bio Hybrid?" she asked with a proud grin.

"Sorry…but…where have you been all this time?"

"…That's something I'd also be interested in knowing," Flamedramon said.

"I haven't really been doing much," Abigail said. "Adrian and Michalis had been trying to find me, so I've had to stay low to avoid detection. See? Nothing interesting about old Abigail…What about you, flame boy? What have you been doing for the past year?"

"…I've been looking for you," he said. Abigail's smile faded into a blank shock. "It's been rather…difficult…I _am_ a wanted serial killer, after all."

After a moment, Abigail nodded her head slightly. "How about you two? Thomas…have you told her yet?"

"…Yes, I have." I smiled at the older woman as Zelda reached over and placed her hand over mine.

"We're together now," Zelda said.

"Aw, you two look so _cute_ together!" Abigail gushed. I was perhaps the only person who noticed Flamedramon eyeing her nervously when she said this.

"Thank you, Abigail," I said. "What you said to me…about taking care of her…hearing somebody say that to me helped me work up the courage to say it to her."

"I'm glad I could help you, old friend," Abigail smiled widely.

"…Also…I need to apologize," I said.

"For what?"

"For…abandoning you. When I left Cyclamen with…with Victoria…" I swallowed, suddenly remembering the nightmare DeathPhantomon forced me to experience. "I…I didn't mention you…and you were left behind."

"You've been worried about _that_ this entire time?!" Abigail asked. "By the Goddess, man, I've forgiven you already! There's no need for you to apologize, even if you have yet to do so!"

"I betrayed you. I abandoned you. Of _course_ I would apologize," I said firmly. "An apology shouldn't even suffice for something that drastic, and yet, you've forgiven me anyway?"

"Well…it wasn't _that_ bad," Abigail nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "If I had gone with you, I wouldn't have ever met that stupid Lilithmon, and I wouldn't have been turned into a Bio Hybrid…and if I _hadn't_…I may not have been able to free Flamedramon from _his_ nightmare…"

"…Which I also must thank you for," Flamedramon said.

"No need for thanks. We're…inseparable…right? I'd save you from anything…just as I know you'd do the same for me," Abigail said. She looked at me. She turned and looked at Flamedramon. "…Look…if you _really_ want to apologize…if you _really_ want to thank me…why don't you both buy me something sweet? I've always been fond of cake; the two of you can get me one each, and then we'll all be even."

"Two cakes? All by _yourself_?! Are you mad, woman?!" Flamedramon asked. Abigail laughed.

"In addition to my status as a Bio Hybrid, it seems you've forgotten what else I am," she said, pointing to her belly. "I'm one of the Marked like you, remember? And since I'm also a Bio Hybrid, I'm actually two-thirds Digimon, rather than a half. I'm barely a Human at all anymore. Since I'm a Human Marked, I've got the same voracity as a Digimon, and probably the same lifespan. Just ask Zelda; she'll tell you."

"…Yes…We aren't Human," Zelda whispered. "My mother was certainly an expert at making me feel that way…" I regarded her with somber curiosity. Other than when she said we were together, she hadn't smiled once, and, at moments, she looked close to crying. Her eyes appeared rather bloodshot, as if she actually had been.

…_DeathPhantomon…he made her…see something she shouldn't have, didn't he? I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL THAT BASTARD!_

"Oh, by the way, DeathPhantomon is dead," Flamedramon said. "I burned him alive, and Abigail stabbed him in the chest."

…_Oh…well, it sounds like he at least he died screaming…_ I shivered, remembering what DeathPhantomon forced me to observe. I forced myself to look away from Zelda. _No…I cannot allow myself to remember…that…I can't…_

"How many of them have you killed?" Flamedramon asked.

"Eight," Zelda said. "And…Lupinemon…is gone as well…"

"Eight _and_ Lupinemon," Abigail pondered. "…I see. Then that makes nine you've…encountered."

"And only three left to fight," Flamedramon said.

_Yeah…Generalmon, Cherubimon, and…and Lilithmon…_

"One of them _is_ Lilithmon, though. Are you prepared to fight her again?"

"We've already killed her once," I said.

"Barely." I glared at Flamedramon. "Had I not found that Talisman, you'd not have won against her. Had you not worn the Immortal's Necklace, you'd have died. And now, you lack the Horcrux, and I wonder; will Dynasmon be capable of winning again? Perhaps Gallantmon?"

"We will," I said firmly. "We'll win, because we have to."

"Sounds like you've won already," Abigail said. Flamedramon stood up. He was looking around cautiously. "What's wrong?"

"…One of them has found us." Abigail joined him.

"Who is it? Where?" I asked.

"…Whoever it is certainly is making no secret of their arrival," Abigail said, staring dead ahead. The luminously violet silhouette of a heavily armed Digimon slowly lumbering towards us — shaking the earth and making loud, metallic clanks with each step he took — was impossible to miss.

"…Generalmon…"

"I thought he was in Acacia," Zelda breathed.

"Looks pretty big, even from far away," Abigail surmised. That, of course, was an understatement; the Warrior Digimon stood nearly seven feet tall, roughly the same as Apollomon, and his gleaming armor only reinforced his gargantuan image. The massive halberd he took into battle was larger than even Pheragas's, and I would not have been surprised if his weapon weighed more than all of his heavy armor.

"Should we try to take him out, Thomas?" Flamedramon asked. I blinked. I was uncertain. I had only seen Generalmon fight once, and only for a brief moment. Even then, I doubted he was using half of his strength against us. I had no idea what the Digimon was capable of, or just how strong he really was. "Well?"

"…If he wishes to fight us…then we may have no choice than to fight him back," I said. I nervously looked over at Zelda. She looked miserable. Ready to battle or call forth a Digimon Spirit if need be, but miserable. _Just what did DeathPhantomon force her to see, to experience? Hmm…It might be better if I don't ask her just yet…_

"You've fought him before, haven't you?" Abigail asked.

"Not for very long," I replied. "Dynasmon was able to drive him away when we met him last, but…I still have no idea how strong he could get if he truly wanted to…"

"He doesn't sound like the kind of guy who'd let us escape, even if we tried," Flamedramon said. "Rumor has it this guy laid waste to Acacia in only a few hours."

My heart sank. "The whole damn city in that short amount of time?!" I asked. Acacia was roughly the same size as Yew, and was considered by many to be Shendu Territory's equivalent of that city. I looked up at Generalmon. There was still quite a bit of distance between us. "…I think…we should try to leave while we can…" Generalmon was nowhere to be seen. Behind us, the ground trembled furiously when he landed, leaving a large, jagged-edged crater beneath him.

"What was that…you said about leaving?" Generalmon asked.


	111. The Prisoner in the Tower

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Valencia Territory**

"What was that…you said about leaving?" Generalmon asked. My mouth hung open, unable to close. My eyes were peeled, and stared at Generalmon in awe and fear.

_He was at least a fourth of a mile away two seconds ago…he _jumped_ that far?! Wearing all that armor?!_ Generalmon's helmeted head was tipped downwards, and it felt as though he were sneering mockingly at us underneath it.

"Nine of my brethren have been slain, and nearly all by the hands of you two," Generalmon said. "Have you two…anything to say for what you have done?"

"You're treating them like criminals; how _amusing_," Abigail laughed.

"I…will _not_ hesitate to destroy all those who stand against my family; that goes for supposed loyal members of the group," Generalmon said.

"…Do you…speak of Lupinemon?" Zelda asked.

"Hmph. Lupinemon got what she deserved from DeathPhantomon. Had she shown her treasonous face to me, I'd have given her a more harsh judgment. Wherever she went, she should consider herself to be lucky that it was DeathPhantomon whom she faced, and not I." With an angry look on her face — one of such pure hatred that I did not know she was capable of — Zelda reached into her satchel. Noticing, Generalmon dropped his massive axe onto the hard, rocky ground, making a loud clang that made Zelda jump straight up into the air.

"Dæmon Lux Lunæ!" Generalmon's armor radiated a blinding, languid lavender light. The glare was intense; it felt as though my eyes would melt, even after they were shut tight. "Ferreo Pugni Dæmonis!" Unable to see what was happening, I heard Generalmon's armor creak as something blunt — Generalmon's fist, I thought — struck me in the face and nearly knocked me out cold. "You…seem to be the most dangerous to us, assassin." Nearly everything seemed to be a blur after that. The light emitted from Generalmon's armor faded. Flamedramon's fire attacks shot across the sky. The light from Abigail's Bio Link Digivice shone. I was unsure of the order in which these things happened. Eventually, though, I heard Flamedramon and BioLadyDevimon cry out in pain as they were struck down by Generalmon. In spite of the protest from my throbbing head and my own better judgment, I began to force myself up as the sight of Dynasmon being struck down by Generalmon's axe caught my attention. Apparently, Generalmon heard me staggering up, because he walked over to me once again. I could hear Zelda running, trying to get to me before Generalmon, but she was too late. Generalmon rammed his iron foot into my face, knocking me back down to the ground, unconscious at last.

When I finally came to, it was night. Or, was it? The landscape did seem to be darker, but the lack of sunlight when we fought DeathPhantomon earlier made it difficult to discern. My entire head ached. _Struck down twice by that damn Generalmon…_

"Thomas…" A soft and cool hand gingerly covered one of the areas of my face where Generalmon had struck me. Damn, did it feel refreshing.

"Zelda…?" I was finding it difficult to focus my eyes, though I could clearly see a blonde woman, looking at me with concern.

"Sorry to disappoint," Abigail said. My head lay in the center of her lap. "I ain't your girlfriend, though." I could hear Flamedramon sigh wearily from nearby.

"You two…you're both…okay," I said. "How…?"

"Don't ask stupid questions," the Bio Hybrid said gently. I closed my eyes. "Just try to rest."

Flamedramon sighed once again. "How does he look?" he asked. His voice sounded impatient, which was quite normal for him.

"He was hit pretty hard," Abigail said, stroking my hair away from my face. "His nose might be broken; we should probably get that sorceress to fix it up…You know, that really sexy one that's always taking her clothes off."

"He doesn't need his nose to fight, damn it!" Flamedramon snapped.

"He _could_," Abigail said. "He _is_ an assassin, after all; he could use his sense of smell for…something…I don't know _exactly_ how these guys do things."

"…Where's…Zelda…?" I asked.

"Yeah, I know; _she_ should be the one letting you use her lap as a pillow while she softly caresses the side of your face, but you're going to have to make do with _me_ doing it for a while," Abigail said.

"What do you…mean?"

"Well…you see, the thing is…well, I don't really know how to tell you this…" Ignoring the pain in my head, I shot straight up and looked around. Flamedramon, Abigail, and I were the only ones in sight.

"…She's been taken," Flamedramon said. "Generalmon…took her." My heart plunged deep into my stomach. I grew more dazed than I already had been.

"W—what…do you mean?"

"He kidnapped her, damn it!" Flamedramon shouted. "While we were all sitting on our unconscious asses, he went and…and kidnapped her!"

"No…You're lying!"

"…I only wish, kid," Flamedramon said, more calmly than he probably felt.

"Where…did he take her?!"

"…He…has a citadel that he rose up from the ground in Acacia, from what I've heard. If he's taken her anywhere, _that's_ where he'd take her." I stood up, ignoring the shakiness in my legs. "And just where do you think _you're_ going, huh?"

"To…Acacia," I said. "I have to…save…her…"

"You aren't going anywhere," Abigail said. "We're taking you back to that knight's villa — that's where you live now, right? — to heal you up."

"No…I _can't_…I have to—"

"So, it's to be the hard way," Flamedramon sighed.

"Don't hurt him _too_ much," Abigail warned.

"I won't."

"Damn it, we don't have time for—"

"Yeah, yeah, write it down, publish a story. It should sell," Flamedramon said. Flamedramon struck the back of my head with his fist, and I fell into Abigail's welcoming arms, knocked unconscious for a second time that day.

* * *

I am going to kill that bastard. Those were the first words that flashed in my mind when my eyes parted slightly. I wasn't sure if I meant Flamedramon or Generalmon, though. A tight grip around my throat made my eyes open up the rest of the way. Chrysania had placed her arms around me, and was crying messily onto my chest. Above me, Luna moved a damp washcloth across my forehead.

"Chrissy was…so scared…about you," Chrysania sobbed. "She thought…that Tommy…was going to die!"

"He might if you don't let go of his neck," I heard Statuedramon's voice say from further away. Chrysania abruptly sat up, wearing her normal cheery grin as if she hadn't been crying at all, which was when I noticed I was lying down in my own bed with the room's lights off. I felt a disappointing emptiness next to me when I remembered that Zelda had been taken by Generalmon.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Luna asked me quietly as she placed her hand atop Chrysania's head.

"Vut happened to you? Vhy did you leave?" Pheragas asked, standing at the foot of the bed. Apollomon, Dianamon, and Andromon stood to his left, in front of the door. Chrysania and Luna were to my right on the bed, and Statuedramon stood on the floor next to them. I couldn't see anyone else without moving my head, which hurt a fair deal.

"…Lupinemon…wanted to join us," I said groggily. "She took us to DeathPhantomon…DeathPhantomon killed her…Flamedramon killed DeathPhantomon…" Chrysania began sobbing even harder.

"Lupinemon wanted to join us?! It's…so…unfair! Why did she have to die?!" she asked. Luna placed her arms around her foster daughter's shoulders and hugged her closely.

"Happened next, what did?" Andromon asked.

"I...don't really remember," I said. "Generalmon showed up…knocked me unconscious…and he took Zelda with him…"

"He did WHAT?!" Apollomon asked.

"I tried to go after him…but Flamedramon made me come back here…"

"Well, you should be thankful that he _did_," Dianamon said, looking across the room. "With those injuries, you should be thankful that you're _alive_."

"…No thanks are necessary," Flamedramon said in an aloof tone of voice. "I…merely wish to have as many allies as I can for when I fight Lilithmon…" I felt tears slide down my face.

"Zelda…she was taken…because I wasn't strong enough…to protect her…"

"Thomas, what happened to her is _not_ your fault," Dianamon said. "Do you understand?"

"We'll get her back," Statch said. "Just you wait; we'll get her back, and we'll kill that fucking Generalmon, too."

"I couldn't…protect her," I repeated. "What if she…she hates—"

"She won't," Abigail interrupted, standing next to Flamedramon. "A person like that, who's suffered so much…they wouldn't dare think unkindly of the first person who's shown them kindness. Trust me, Tommy…that's why I was able to forgive you for abandoning me in Cyclamen."

* * *

**Zelda**

I was conscious the entire time I was with Generalmon. He was surprisingly gentle while carrying me, always making sure his armor did not prod me uncomfortably. We arrived in Acacia in Shendu Territory quickly, almost unreasonably so. Generalmon had told me that he had control over the phases of the moon; depending on what phase the moon was in, a different power would be granted to him, and this phase enhanced his speed.

"Here we are," Generalmon said.

I glanced around. The city of Acacia looked dreadful, similar to Yew after Myotismon's invasion, though without the flames. Everything lay in ruins. To my immense relief, there were no corpses lying about. That was the last thing I needed to see right now. In the distance, toward the middle of the city, stood a huge tower.

"Can you see it? That tower? That is my creation," he said. "I created it after conquering this loathsome city. That is where we are headed."

During our trip, though he was carrying my gently, he had also carried me rather haphazardly at the same time — like I was a piece of luggage — with his gauntlet-covered hand under my stomach. Now he finally set me down on the ground, though he retained a tight grip on my arm. He had taken my satchel away from me as well, so I was unable to summon any Digimon Spirits to fight him.

_Gallantmon hasn't shown up, either…Tommy…Please be okay…_In no time at all, we had left the city and were inside the large, ornate tower Generalmon pointed out. In front of us was a large, empty jail cell.

"…Why did you take me with you?" I implored.

"You need not worry," Generalmon said, shoving me into the cell and closing the door behind me. The force of it made me fall. I quickly sat up, with my legs tucked up against my body, facing the large Mega Digimon. "I am not at all like DeathPhantomon; I've no intention of…_fondling_…any area of your…your body…no matter how enticing it may be." Blushing, I raised my arms to cover my chest. "I've no intentions of killing you, either."

"…You…you don't?"

Generalmon shook his head. "'Twould be dishonorable to raise my axe against an unarmed woman. No…I intend to keep you here until your friends show up…_That_…is when you will all be destroyed." Laughing, Generalmon walked out of the room and up a flight of stairs.

I leaned my back up against the corner of a wall and placed my head down, resting my forehead on my arms. My entire body was trembling with fear of the hulking Digimon.

"…Tommy…please…don't come here…I'm not worth it…" Without my consent, my thoughts jumped immediately back to the nightmare DeathPhantomon forced me to endure. Missing Thomas and wishing he were here to hold me, I cried silently, not wanting Generalmon to hear me. I immediately forced myself to stop, however. I couldn't allow myself to cry anymore.


	112. To the Tower

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Saias's Villa**

I had been forced to lie in my bed for the past two days in order to heal from my extensive injuries; Apollomon had even gone as far as to close, lock, and barricade my door to prevent me from escaping while Dianamon had boarded up the windows. BlackGaomon had even tied my legs to the bed with several thick wooden planks, resting on top to prevent me from getting out of bed to go rescue Zelda, which I had tried to do on many occasions.

Chrysania and Statuedramon had stayed in the room — which fortunately for us had a bathroom and shower — with me nearly the entire time. Aside from the time she set my pillow on fire whilst attempting to concoct a pain killer for the first time, Chrysania did a fairly good job of taking Luna's place as healer. Statuedramon slept most of the time, only waking up when Andromon and Luna brought us meals prepared by Apollomon, or when Chrysania made a mistake at my expense — something which seemed to amuse Statch — after which she would apologize profusely. She would always be forgiven, though. None of her little accidents were as close to being as bad as the pillow fire.

The two had proved to be good company, and though my thoughts were always of Zelda, I appreciated that they were with me, trying to help me feel better. Occasionally, Chrysania would sleep curled up at the foot of the bed like a Gatomon while Statuedramon would snore heavily in the small armchair off to the side of the bed. The two were now talking about something — I wasn't really paying attention — when the bedroom door opened. Luna and Andromon walked in.

"Lunch time!" Luna said happily; the pair was carrying several plates of food, all of which smelled good. Andromon carefully closed the door behind him, eyeing me with suspicion. Chrysania ran up to Luna and leaped into the young sorceress's arms after she placed the food on the concrete slab, which functioned well as a table for the three of us. Luna placed her arms around the young apprentice. "Hi, sweetie; how's mommy's little angel?"

"Chrissy's missed you, mommy," Chrysania said. "But she's been having fun with Tommy and Statch!"

"I take it there have been no more fires?" Luna asked. Apollomon had been quite exasperated when he learned what happened, and had Statuedramon not been there, I myself would have burned.

"Nope! Just the one!" Luna's eyes narrowed slightly. "…And a half…"

"…Do I want to know?" Chrysania shook her head.

"Gone out, Abigail and Flamedramon have," Andromon said. "Gathering information, they are."

"Where are they?" I asked.

"They've gone to Acacia," Luna said. "They left about two days ago, and they said they'd return as soon as they were able to."

"So, they're getting information about Generalmon's citadel, huh?" Statch asked. Luna nodded.

"How've you been holding up?" Luna asked.

"…I haven't stopped thinking about her; I've even been dreaming about her," I said hoarsely. "I can't even begin to imagine how frightened, how…_terrified_ she must be, all alone with that creep…and all _I_ can do is notice how empty the bed is without her…" I knew as soon as I said that last part, it was a mistake.

"Well, if you'd like, _I_ could take her place until she returns," Luna suggested. All four of us stared at her.

"Uh…n—no, that…that's all right…"

"Are you certain? I don't bite," she added in a seductive voice. "Unless you're into that."

"No, I…I'll manage…" Luna shrugged.

"Your loss. Or is it?"

…_She's always been like this, always making passes at me…sometimes, I can't even tell if she means _half_ of what she says!_ Zelda had been quite aware that Luna had been doing this long before she joined, and she continued after Zelda and I had formed a relationship; Zelda had even gone as far as to tell me that if I had 'gotten together' with Luna, that she wouldn't mind. I immediately told her that I would never do that to her, or ever take advantage of that kindness like that. _She must be terrified of being left alone to actually _say_ something like that…I couldn't believe she would think I'd do something like that to her…_

"Whatever. I've brought your lunch, so I can go now. Enjoy!" Luna said, without ever losing her cheerful smile. She and Andromon both left the room.

"I seriously doubt she understands the severity of what she said," Statuedramon said, shaking his head as he chewed on a piece of chicken.

"What _did_ she say?" Chrysania asked.

"…I'll tell you when you're older, sweetie."

Chrysania seemed satisfied with this answer, and turned all of her easily distracted attention to the food. She hungrily stuffed an entire roll into her mouth before being distracted by a piece of dust falling from the ceiling.

"We'll get her back, Thomas," Statuedramon said after looking at me for a while. I made an attempt to nod, though I was unsure if I was successful. "For all we know, that could be exactly why Flamedramon and Abigail went to Acacia."

"…Yeah…" I looked up at the Rookie Digimon, who smiled at me. "But, when they do come back…not a WORD is to be spoken about those two women, okay?"

"Not even the pretty green-haired one?" Chrysania whined.

"Especially her…Elizabeth, wasn't it? Yes, something definitely didn't seem right about her," I whispered. "I would prefer it if neither of you two mentioned their sudden appearance."

"Are you…sure? It was kinda weird…it was like they just…popped out of thin air," Statuedramon whispered. I opened my mouth to speak when Apollomon burst into the room.

"They…they're back," he said, breathing heavily as if he had just run up the stairs.

"You mean Flamedramon?" Statch asked. Apollomon nodded. "Wow…that was fast…" He and Chrysania got up and went downstairs as Apollomon lifted the concrete slab off my legs and helped me walk downstairs. We found them in the living room, politely refusing every offer of food or drink.

"How are you doing?" Abigail asked when she saw me.

"I fixed his broken nose; that was the only _easy_ part," Luna said.

"The _hard_ part was getting him to stay in bed and rest," Dianamon said, noticing Abigail's confusion.

"Yes, I can understand that…"

"Were you able to find her?" I asked. Apollomon helped me sit down on one of the many couches.

"…Sorry," Flamedramon said. "We searched all over that tower, but we couldn't find her." I closed my eyes. I had been expecting such a response, but it still made me feel terrible.

"We _did_ find something else in that tower," Abigail spoke up. "We found that Generalmon has a pretty big library in the lower areas of that citadel; it may prove to be beneficial to retrieve a few books. They may have some information about Lilithmon." Apollomon and a few others nodded in agreement.

"We didn't find any guards," Flamedramon said. "It seems that Generalmon is alone there."

"Meaning we won't have to send too many there," Seraphimon said.

"If it's books you need help with, then count me in," Luna said.

"You'll need someone to help fight against Generalmon," Statuedramon said. "I'm in. After all, I need more practice Digivolving to the Mega level."

"…I'm going," I said.

"Thomas, you aren't fully healed yet!" Dianamon insisted. "Apollomon, say something!"

"…I have no objections," he said. "I know him…he wouldn't be able to look himself in the mirror if he didn't do something to save the woman he loves so much. He's going."

"Thank you…sir…"

"We'll go too," Flamedramon said. "Generalmon is strong; Statch will need all the help he can get against that one."

"I couldn't agree more," Luna said. Statch shrugged, not seeming to be bothered. "I think a group this size will suffice."

"Is everyone ready to go?" Abigail asked. "It's a long walk to Shendu Territory. I flew Flamedramon there in my Bio Hybrid form, so we were able to get there in about a day, but on foot, it should be about three."

_Three more days…alone with that Generalmon…_ I looked up at Abigail. "We'll get there in less than two."

"At that pace, it would be advised that we don't sleep," Flamedramon said. "Is that something you are okay with?"

"I don't care; I haven't been able to sleep anyway," I said. "And not just because of Statuedramon's snoring."

"A lack of sleep will add a bit of excitement to it all," Luna said.

"I'll manage," Statuedramon said.

"Let's go as soon as we can," Abigail said. "The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get Zelda away from that Digimon."

* * *

**Zelda**

I sat wedged in the corner of the cell, unmoving for days. I wasn't even sure how many; since Generalmon has control of the moon, it was always directly above the citadel. Its light shone down, illuminating the entire structure with its golden light. Generalmon had decided to keep me in chains in case I decided to escape; cuffs were placed around my wrists and ankles — he had taken my boots away to make this easier — to keep me near the wall when he brought me my meals. He had also proven himself to be a fairly decent chef — not as good as Thomas, of course, but still not bad. Apparently aware that I was a Marked, he had bringing large amounts of food that would've made a normal girl of my size explode had she attempted to eat everything in sight. But it was just the right amount for someone like me. A freak. A freak that didn't belong to either of the two races on Arcadia.

I sighed and leaned my head back against the wall. There wasn't much to see. The cell I was in was completely empty. The walls and floors were all a shimmering violet in color, and seemed to be made out of a sleek metal that had at first been frigid against my skin, particularly my bare feet, but I quickly grew accustomed to it. There was a barred, square window above my head that showed the sky, although it was perpetually nighttime. Generalmon had just left a few minutes ago, saying nothing and leaving yet another heaping stack of food close to me. In all honesty, Generalmon was actually taking quite good care of me. He even came down every few hours to take me to a bathroom for those irksome habits, and also to take a shower once a day. I smiled when I thought about how considerate he was in that regard. I was immediately reminded of the last time I was locked in a cell like this; it was far dirtier, and Tankmon and Giromon were far less kind in their actions. That was when I remembered that I was merely a hostage. People do not risk their lives for dead hostages.

"…Shut up," I said to my stomach as it began to growl very loudly, echoing a fair deal in the empty room. "I'll eat when I feel like it…" Ignoring me, my stomach growled even louder and louder until I began to eat to shut it up. I downed the five ten-ounce steaks on my plate in less than a minute each.

Afterwards, I felt very full, and my stomach quieted down while I began to chew absently on a large potato. "…Thomas…stay away from this place…Generalmon will _not_ hesitate to kill everyone. I'm not worth dying over…" I rested back against the wall once more, suddenly feeling too bloated to eat any more. My thoughts turned once again to the nightmare I had a few days ago.


	113. Memories of Days Gone By

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Acacia**

**Shendu Territory**

**2 Days**

I stopped and looked up at the tower before us. Generalmon's tower loomed menacingly above our group, above the entire town. It looked even larger than the fortress Lachesis used to live in, or even Etemon's old castle in Linnea Village. The sight of it, I was sure, filled many with fear; but the only thought going through my mind was getting Zelda back.

…_Zelda's in here somewhere,_ I kept telling myself. The outward design and coloration of the building was obscured by the moon's light, making it look like a large, jagged finger sticking out of the ground from a distance, one that Statuedramon said was flipping him off.

"I know where the library is," Flamedramon said. "I'll take Luna and Statch with me. Abigail, you and Thomas focus on finding Zelda."

"Got it," Abigail nodded. Placing her arm around my shoulders, she said, "C'mon; let's go. She's been waiting." We all walked into the suspiciously open door of the citadel and parted ways. "Let's see…I've got a feeling in my gut that she's somewhere in the lowest area of this place. That's where places like these usually keep their prisoners, yeah?"

"…You have a point. We may as well look," I said. We walked down a large and winding, dull-colored stairway after parting with Flamedramon and the others. I looked up. The ceiling was constructed completely of glass in an elaborate, snowflake-like design, some of it stained, allowing the moon's light to shine throughout the entire castle in many vibrant colors.

"I think we're underground now," Abigail said. "Can you smell the soil?"

"I'm not half Digimon, and I broke my nose a few days ago. What do you think?" Abigail laughed. At the end of the stairway, we came to a large door. On it was a symbol that resembled the Medallion that was Generalmon's Horcrux.

"Strange, I don't remember this door being here," Abigail noted. Opening it, we found another staircase.

"…Let's go." I ran down the stairs as quickly as I could without falling, with Abigail close behind. At the end of the stairway was an empty room with a dungeon cell, and in it sat Zelda in chains.

"ZELDA!" I ran up to the bars of the cell. Zelda mouthed my name when she saw me, her face turning from its somber, empty stare to a tearful look of happiness. She tried to run up to me, but the chains on her arms and legs prevented her from doing so. Looking away sadly, she leaned back against the wall.

"Stand back," Abigail said, pulling her Bio Link Digivice out from her cleavage. "Bio Hybrid DNA Charge! Bio Hybrid Digivolve to, BioLadyDevimon! Black Wing!" BioLadyDevimon's arm turned to a spear, which she used to cut through the bars of the cell. The Bio Hybrid used her sharp fingernails to pick open the locks of the cuffs around Zelda's feet and hands. I placed my arms tightly around her, holding her body closely against mine. Zelda, however, continued to stare forlornly at the cold, metal floor.

"Are you okay?" I whispered. "He didn't hurt you, did he?" Zelda shook her head. "What's wrong?"

"…Thomas…why…did you come for me?" Zelda asked. "I…I'm not worth it…"

"Zelda…it's because I love you," I said. "Don't you…know that?" Zelda remained silent. "…Are you…thinking about the nightmare DeathPhantomon made you have?" Zelda looked up at me, appearing slightly shocked.

"You had one too?" I nodded. "I…I promised myself I wouldn't cry," she said. "I've already done enough of that…I can't allow myself to cry over something so trivial with what everyone else is doing…"

"If you feel like crying, you should," Abigail said, having turned back into her Human form. "You shouldn't try to keep it all bottled up like that. Trust me on this, dear."

Zelda shook her head. "No…I won't cry…" I sat down on the floor next to her, and draped my right arm over her trembling shoulders.

"Zelda…I'm going to tell you what I dreamed about, okay?" I asked. "DeathPhantomon… forced me to witness Clive's rape of Victoria, back when she was only sixteen years old. Every vile position, every lash of his belt across her face or her back… That's something that will never leave my memory. Because I couldn't do anything to help her, or stop him…because of my powerlessness, I was left to despair, unable to look away. And when he was done…DeathPhantomon forced me to watch it again, with _you_ in place of Victoria. He even made the image of you scream when Victoria didn't. I haven't slept since then, because every time I do, I hear those screams." Both Zelda and Abigail were staring at me in wide-eyed horror.

"…S—see? W—what right do I have to cry…when _you_ have to remember something like _that_?" Zelda asked as tears began to stream down her cheeks. I wiped one away and looked her in the eye.

"My point is…is that I cried," I said gently. "I cried, got it all out of my system. What I saw…will probably haunt me for the rest of my life. But I am able to think of other things, because I cried. Because I did, my life will not be ruled by what I saw that day." With a guilty look on her face, Zelda's head sank, and slumped up against my chest. "Zelda…would you tell me what you saw? Please?"

"…DeathPhantomon…forced me to relive a terrible memory," she whispered. "He made me relive a day of my youth, when I was about six or eight years old…It was one of the days my mother decided to cut the skin off the back of my hand…She was trying to get rid of my Mark…When it didn't work, she…she slapped me…over…and over… and she threw an insult at me every time. That was how I got this scar…" Zelda ran her fingers underneath her right eye, over the scar. An ugly bitch, a filthy half-breed cunt, a worthless slut of a daughter…those were just _some_ of the things she called me that day…"

"…And that's why…you have a low opinion of yourself?" I asked breathlessly.

"My…god…How could a mother say that to her own daughter?!" Abigail asked, her eyes becoming clouded with tears.

"She was…drunk…that day," Zelda said. "That's why she only slapped me for five minutes; because she passed out…"

"Your mother…she sounds like the complete opposite of Luna," Abigail said. "Luna's raising a girl that's not even hers with love and warmth, but yours…"

"I think she may have found out what happened on that day; she knows a spell that lets her read other people's minds," Zelda said. "And that's why…she's letting me treat her like a mother, too…" Zelda looked up at me. "You see, Thomas? That's why…I don't have any right to cry…Your nightmare was far worse than mine…"

"Let's not compare them by who had the worst nightmare," I said. "What I saw _will_ traumatize me…What happened to you _has _traumatizedyou…" I leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Please…if you want to cry…then I'll be there for you…"

"…Okay. But…now probably isn't the best time for that," she said. "We need to get out of here before Generalmon returns." Helping Zelda stand up, I helped her walk over to the door when Abigail found her boots and satchel. By the time Zelda fastened her satchel securely around her waist, I felt a spine-chilling sense of foreboding. I turned around and saw Generalmon standing behind us, facing us, with his back to the empty cell.

"Greetings, Thomas Kasuto," Generalmon said. "Now that you are here…it is time for me to begin my slaughter."


	114. Beseech 'M'

**Thomas Kasuto**

**Generalmon's Citadel**

"Now that you are here…it is time for me to begin my slaughter," Generalmon said.

"Thomas, go! Run!" Abigail shouted, pushing us toward the stairs that led out of the empty room. "Go and find the others! Hurry!" Zelda and I began running up the stairs, and Abigail slammed the door shut behind us. I took Zelda's hand in mine and began running with all my might up the stairs, pulling her along behind me.

"Flamedramon, Statuedramon, and Luna are here, too," I said. "They're looking for the library…there might be some useful information about Lilithmon there!"

"Do you know where the library is?" Zelda asked. We had made it out of the stairway that led to the dungeon, and we began racing up a second winding stairway that led to it.

"Flamedramon wrote down directions for me," I said, holding up a piece of paper that I removed from my pocket. Looking at it, I added, "It won't take us too long, from what it says here."

We reached the top of the winding stairway, and we were back at the entrance of the citadel. Following Flamedramon's instructions, we raced down another stairway, this one going straight down as opposed to the winding one we had just finished climbing. This stairway seemed longer, and by the time we reached the bottom, my legs felt exhausted.

"Thomas! Did you find her?!" I heard Statuedramon call out.

"I'm here, Statch!" Zelda replied, a bit out of breath. The short Rookie ran up to us and threw his arms around Zelda's legs.

"I'm glad you're okay," he said softly.

"I missed you too, Statch," Zelda said, patting the Rookie on the shoulder.

"Where are Luna and Flamedramon?" I asked.

"In the library," Statch pointed left of the stairway to a tall, arched doorway that led to a big library.

"Where is Abigail?" Flamedramon asked from the doorway.

"She stayed behind to fight Generalmon," I said. Flamedramon's eyes widened, and he immediately set off up the stairs behind him. Generalmon's booming voice echoed throughout the castle.

"IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE YOU HIDE. I WILL FIND YOU!"

"…I think I should go with him," Statuedramon said, following after Flamedramon.

Zelda and I darted into the library to find Luna gazing up at a plethora of books old and new crammed into a bookshelf. She looked over and smiled at us when she heard us approaching.

"Are you okay?" Luna asked. "Generalmon didn't do anything to—"

"I'm fine," Zelda said, smiling kindly at the sorceress. "Thank you, Luna. For everything." Luna smiled at her.

"You're very welcome, sweetie," she said. "Now, can you help me look for some books? Flamedramon and Abigail seem to think there might be something helpful here, but all I see is useless shit…"

"Oh, o—of course," Zelda said, joining Luna in her search. "What about this one?"

"_Dark Myths and Ancient Lores of Arcadia_? It doesn't sound familiar," Luna said. "I'm getting a bad feeling from it, though…" Without hesitation, Zelda reached for the book and pulled it off the shelf, opening it.

"Goodness, look how old it is! The name of the author has even faded away…Wow; this book has chapters about nearly everything!" Zelda exclaimed. "Look, the first one is even about Goddess Arcadia!" She began to silently read the small words of the first chapter, titled 'The Loving Goddess.'

"What does it say?" I asked, craning to see over her shoulder.

"Oh, sorry," she said nervously. "'_Arcadia is the beautiful and beloved Goddess who formed this earth. She was lonely, and decided to create new life. From her left hand came the Children of Wisdom, whom she titled 'Humans,' and from her right came the Children of Strength, whom she titled 'Digimon.' She loved her creations with all her endless heart, and with them, she would laugh and play, night and day. Her childlike innocence warmed the hearts of even the most savage of Digimon, and her knowledge was enough to confound even the wisest Human. It is not known if she has specifically stated anything on the subject of Humans and Digimon mating. It has been stated by many that she would not mind, and if this is the case, then the truth likely would have been distorted by B..._'"

"By who?" I asked.

"It doesn't say; the book is so old, this name has faded away as well," Zelda said disappointedly. "'_Originally, there were no evil Digimon, or evil Humans for that matter. It is unknown how they came into existence with such a sweet-natured goddess. Arcadia's navel is considered the center of the universe and the source of life. From her navel a new world emerges should this one be swallowed by the evil of humanity._'"

"So, are we to assume that they…just…suddenly sprang into existence?" Luna asked.

"Sounds like it," Zelda said absently, likely not hearing anything around her as she continued to read silently. "I don't think there's anything about Lilithmon here…I'll flip to a different chapter…" Zelda returned to the table of contents. I could see her lovely sapphire eyes quickly darting around as she read each of the titles therein. "There's a chapter here called 'The Goddess of Darkness…' I think I'll turn to that one…"

_I never knew she loved reading so much…_

"I SHALL FIND YOU ALL SOON!" Generalmon yelled.

"'The Goddess of Darkness," Zelda repeated, not having heard the threat. "'_She will come into being when the Holy Mother loses sight of her love and mercy. The Holy Mother is one of three Digimon created by sweet Arcadia to be her servants, with her powers split among the three._'"

"Three of them…this definitely means Lilithmon," Luna whispered.

"'_So, what caused the Holy Mother to lose sight of her love and mercy? The answer is simple, and yet is also filled with complexity as to how it even happened in the first place. The answer…it is love. She loved B….._'Sorry, the name's faded away again," Zelda said, frowning.

"Who do you think it means?" I asked.

"We have no way of knowing," Luna said. "Please, keep reading, dear."

"'_She loved B….., and he loved her. They found that they could not live without each other…and yet, the Holy Mother was bound to one other from her trilogy, the Silver Executor of Arcadia's Laws. The Holy Mother and the Silver Executor were deeply in love, but the Holy Mother chose the Silver Executor over B….., breaking his heart. B…..was torn between light and darkness over the Holy Mother's decision. Falling into a pit of despair, he became a being of both light and darkness, of both hatred and kindness. His was the darkness that dragged the Holy Mother into darkness ages past. He is why She is now the Goddess of Darkness. The third of the Holy Mother's group, the Guardian of Knowledge, remained loyal to her after her betrayal of the Silver Executor, and he followed her into the darkness, and joined her and the other ten to form the Twelve._'"

"This is telling us how Ophanimon became Lilithmon," Luna said. "We already know all of this…"

"We didn't know _why_ she fell, though," I said. "This might help a bit, knowing that it was because of someone whose name starts with 'B.'"

"We're looking for information that could help us _kill_ her! I seriously doubt a few _words_ would do that!" Luna said.

"Wait! I found something!" Zelda exclaimed, now in the very end pages of the book. "'_If there ever comes a time when darkness is on the verge of swallowing the land created by sweet Arcadia, then all one needs do is ask for guidance. Yes, beseech the Steel. Beseech M…, and ask him for guidance._'The name is faded away again," Zelda said disappointedly. As she was flipping through the very last pages of the book, something fell out of it. Zelda knelt down to the floor and picked it up, gasping when she saw what it was.

"YOUR END IS NIGH!" boomed Generalmon's voice. "THE DEMONS OF THE UNDERWORLD SHALL DEVOUR YOUR SOULS WHILE THE MAGGOTS OF HELL DEVOUR EVERY INCH OF YOUR FLESH!"

"What is it?" Luna asked.

"…It's a Digimon Talisman," Zelda said. "Yes…the book said to ask you for guidance, didn't it? Very well, then…" Holding the Talisman high up above her head, she confidently said, "I beseech thee…Mercurymon!" The form of a tall, green Digimon with mirror-like shields attached to his arms appeared before us.

"…You seek answers," Mercurymon said. "I can give you purpose."

"WE SHALL ALL BATHE IN YOUR BLOOD! YOUR ENTRAILS SHALL MAKE THE FINEST OF SNACKS!"

"It seems…as though you are in need of much guidance…yes, very much," Mercurymon said.

"We…we really need your help," Zelda said. "Please, sir…will you help us?"

"…I shall," Mercurymon replied. The dull thudding of several bodies hitting the floor could be heard outside the library. I looked out, and saw the alive but unconscious bodies of Flamedramon, Statuedramon, and Abigail. Generalmon walked very slowly down the stairs. "This…is your enemy?"

"You…all of you…shall _perish_!" Generalmon snarled.

"…You think yourself capable of doing so?" Mercurymon asked. "Then why not try passing judgment on me?"

"Yes! You shall be the first to go! Dæmon Icircumflex!" Generalmon swung his colossal axe as Mercurymon held up his arm, with the front of his mirror-like shield facing Generalmon.

"Dark Reflection!" Generalmon's axe hit Mercurymon's shield. I expected to hear the shattering of glass, but what I did hear surprised me. The shield emitted a bright light. Generalmon's axe shattered into hundreds of tiny pieces as Generalmon himself was flung into the air, falling to his back with blood seeping out the gaps between the plates of his violet armor. He coughed, and blood came spurting out the holes in the front of his helmet. I could practically hear Luna's arousal increase when she saw the blood, and her breathing had grown louder and faster as her eyes widened with excitement.

"Is he…dying?" Zelda asked.

"I am uncertain," Mercurymon said. "Regardless, if you so desire to keep your lives and escape, _now_ is the time to do so." The new Digimon Spirit looked down at Generalmon's body. "_He_ is in no shape to chase you. I strongly advise you all to evacuate this place immediately." Mercurymon bowed politely, and then vanished.

"Wait!" Zelda called out. "How are we…What do we do about those three?" Zelda looked over at Statch, Flamedramon, and Abigail just as Gallantmon appeared before her.

"I…apologize for my absence," Gallantmon said. "I had been trying to force my way into this world, but it seems impossible when you are separated from your Talismans."

"It's okay," Zelda replied, smiling gently at the Digimon Spirit. "Gallantmon…could you…help us carry—"

"Already on it, Milady," Gallantmon said, already holding the unconscious bodies of our three friends. "I would strongly advise that you heed Mercurymon's advice." Zelda nodded.

"Let's return home," I said. "Everyone's been worried about you, Zelda." With a final cough, I heard Generalmon shout, "The three…shall be waiting for you…in Mandala…"


End file.
